When Do They Leave?
by The Fallen Dark Angel
Summary: Sequel to Clouded Haze! Set a few months after and Tifa is now heavily pregnant. so lets have a visit from the pair from Destiny Island! what trouble will Sora and Kairi cause Cloud and Tifa? completley complete!
1. Denz, Beer, Food, Sora

When do they leave?

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed and read CLOUDED HAZE I'm sorry this took so long i checked every day to see if it would work and today it did. **

**Just a note from Clouded Haze to R.Y.N.O, if your reading, i got the idea of using Kairi and Sora because I was playing Kingdom Hearts 2 and i just thought 'I wonder how much trouble sora would make if he was around Cloud for a month' so i decided to test the theory.**

**IT'S A SEQUEL TO CLOUDED HAZE! I SAID I WOULD MAKE IT SO I DID! IM JUST SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO POST.**

**OKAY SO IN THIS ONE I'M HAVING KAIRI AND SORA AS A COUPLE AND BARRETT TOOK DENZEL FOR A FEW MONTHS WHILE HE'S OFF SCHOOL. OH AND PROBABLY A LITTLE OUT OF CHARACTER TOO... **

**Heres the first 3 chapters, I'll work on the next three then add them as a three. Ok? Well enjoy!**

Chapter 1: Denz, Beer, Food, Sora.

Prowler the dog barked from his kennel outside. He stayed there in the night due to his hate of me. He scared me more than Sephiroth sone of the time and he was dead. The dog just... Had these eyes that when I looked into he gave me a look that made me think he was going to kill me in my sleep. So Tifa decided it was best he slept outside to put my nerves to rest. Besides it's not like half-wolf-half-dog would get cold in his kennel with a coat like his.

I sighed as I looked outside. Tifa could release him when I left the house as we agreed.

I was in the kitchen while a frustrated Tifa sat on a stool next to me on the table like worktop. She was lecturing me on my duties for today. I was sitting quietly eating a bowl of cereal while she talked.

"You need to go check on Barrett and the kids quickly this morning, just to see if Denzel is ok there and I need some more beer for the bar and we need groceries and you need to pick up your friends." she pestered flicking up and finger and holding each one as she counted it. "Got that?" she said finally turning to me as I shovelled more cereal into my mouth. I chewed and swallowed carefully before replying to Tifa who was standing with a sour expression and her hands on her hips.

"Denz, beer, food, Sora." I repeated from memory counting each one on my fingers as Tifa did I gave her a small smile. "You can do groceries." I added getting up and washing my bowl in the sink. "And groceries clashes with alcohol so you can do that too." I said with a full blown smirk on my face before putting the bowl away and leaning against the counter by the sink.

Sora had called 8 months ago, he wanted to come visit the month after with his girlfriend Kairi. It had all been arranged, he had even set up a gummi ship to get here – it was used for travel between worlds like we used to go between Radiant Garden and –in my case- the Olympic Coliseum.  
I remembered the first time I met sora at the Coliseum i wa looking for my light and he helped me find it in the end. I remember what I heard while there I learnt in my time there that Zack had been there too, he had fought there and been overpowered by Hades, just like me. But trained with the hero there and the goat-man-thing too.

Cid had came and picked me upfrom the Coliseum when I text him, he was surprised I did. That was how I met up with Cid, Yuffie, Aeris and some gut called Squall, he preferred Leon. They talks about Sora while I sat and listened. They knew I wasn't much of a talker.

Kairi had contacted me again the day before they had to leave home to arrive. Shetold me Sora had gone off to fight another Keyblade war and find some lost souls. When sora came back he gave me the full story.

Sora told me he was ready to leave when he got a bottle mail off some mouse guy and had to go on a quest for a while. He contacted me last month to try and set his little trip up again claiming he needed a vacation after what he went through. I had just rolled my eyes at him at told him to get his ass over here with the month this year.

Today was the day he was arriving with Kairi, his girlfriend-now-fiancée. He said they had left their discoveries with their friend Riku, three people who each said to know Zack. It pained me to think of telling them he was dead.

"It's not like I give you the list to sit on my ass!" Tifa grumbled crossing her arms while looking at me. I looked up at her to see her scowling at me from my place at the one end of the kitchen. I was used to her scowling at me right now, she was really starting to annoy me with the mood swings. But I promised Denzel a while ago I wouldn't leave until I had to, and I was going to keep that promise even if he was with Barrett right now.

"Then enlighten me Teef, what do you do at home?" I joked keeping my cocky smirk in place as I slowly walked over and standing in front of where Tifa sat.

"I cook," she started ticking the point off with her fingers. She always did that

"We need food for you to cook." I added into her statement moving around into the living room a she spoke to grab my boots.

"I tend the bar," she added almost in an angry grumble as she followed me.

"One, the bar doesn't open until three and two, we need alcohol." I said again this time my smirk widened. "Three, you aren't allowed the bar open seeing as you are heavily pregnant." she hated when I bought up her lack of cash flow. Not that my deliveries on Monday's to Fridays didn't help the cash flow enough to get by.

"I look after Denzel," she added with a small irking of hostility there. I pulled on my first boot and was wrestling on the second one now, Tifa looked over at me with a glare as I got my boot fully on. I watched as she plonked down on the couch opposite me.

"He's with Barrett" I added looking down at Tifa on her seat.

"And then I work on your delivery service as a secretary." Tifa finished glaring at me almost as if she meant her glare to say 'go on, try me!' she stood up almost as if trying to show her anger from her stance. The only problem was that her pregnant stomach made it impossible for me to believe she would fight me.

"The service is on hold until I get Fenrir completely fixed up after my last accident." I ended taking a step back so she couldn't take a swing at me. She did swing at me, but luckily missed. She must've forgotten it was the second time I crashed Fenrir in the year. I wasn't happy about it... Stupid possum in my way...

"Did I ever tell you how beautiful you look today?" I said backing away from Tifa a little bit. I didn't want to face the wrath of an 8 month pregnant Tifa.

I really hoped Tifa would have a mood swing sometime soon I don't really want to go get Sora with multiple cuts and bruises. I continued to back away from Tifa as she advanced. Then I stopped as I was backed into the wall next to the TV.

Tifa glared at me before walking flush up against me and pulling me close. I smiled while my face was facing to behind her. Sometimes I loved it when the mood swings hit her. But other times it wasn't exactly fun...

Next she did something I wouldn't expect her to do normally –even if in a mood swing mood- let alone when she was mad at me. She quickly removed my shirt by pulling it over my head as if she needed to see me half naked. Then she stopped, frozen and looked at my bare chest.

"Am I forgiven for whatever I did to make you glare at me?" I asked not receiving an answer as I felt her hand come down onto my chest.

Tifa suddenly started to trace over one of the four very visible scars on my chest eyes roaming to the not so visible ones as she traced each scar in turn.

First Tifa traced the small thin line where Sephiroth first shoved his sword through my chest. I remember Zack telling me to stop Sephiroth and how while I was impaled I managed to somehow shove Sephiroth over the edge and away from me.

Tifa moved her hand slowly and lightly touched the scar where Sephiroth had once again skewered me with his sword, that time my shoulder from when I was defeating him and the remnants. It had pieced through pinning me to a low wall but I could surprisingly still use my arm afterwards.

Tifa looked and once again touched the thin line if of Sephiroth's first defeat from me. I noticed the other scar forming over the first where he skewered me and held me up in the same fight with the remmanants as my shoulder. I had an X shaped mark just to the side of my heart. I was lucky he missed.

(AN: I watched both Advent Children and AC Complete and can't remember if Sephiroth stabs both Cloud's shoulder and chest in complete or just his chest so I just added both because I know both happened.)

Lastly Tifa touched some of my recent scars that were both from the same event; the first time I crashed Fenrir this year. first Tifa looked at the one on my arm where the metal cut it then the one that went diagonally across my back where my sword dug into me as I fell from Fenrir and rolled.

Luckily when I fell off Fenrir a few days ago I only got a cut on my arm where I skided on the floor.

"All those scars..." she whispered still stroking one hand along my back the other stroking Sephiroth's X shaped mark on me.

"Just shows how durable I am." I murmured swooping down to capture her lips with mine. I slowly pulled away and placed a hand on Tifa's stomach.

"We may need to move when it comes." Tifa mumbled against my lips, she knew what I was thinking.

"Or we could just use the nursery I secretly decorated in my old room. We could even extend the apartment to have a guest room." I told her thinking of the spare space over the bar that was just roof at the back right now.

"Really? You painted and set up a nursery?" Tifa asked looking up at me with sparkling brown eyes.

"Yes." I told Tifa leaning back down for another kiss. Tifa kissed me passionately and lovingly. I pressed Tifa against the front door and felt her hands stroke along the long scar on my back. Suddenly I was falling onto the floor outside.

Damn it Tifa! Why opened the door on me! Sneaky little-

"Here's your shirt!" Tifa shouted interrupting my inner cursing at her as she threw my shirt out the door. I sighed as I noticed how the throw was misjudged and the shirt now just hung over the top of the lowered roof.

"Go see Denzel and go get your friends." Tifa giggled before throwing my bike keys at me and closing the door on me.

"I would if I could reach my goddamned shirt" I shouted back as she walked back through the house giggling to herself. I sighed and started jumping in an attempt to get my shirt.

I hate being short. I growled in frustration before bending my knees for an almighty jump. I grabbed the shirt and slid it back over my head and over my chest.

"Love you!" I shouted through the door hearing the muffled 'love you too!' from Tifa as she got ready to go to the shops.

I stood up with a smirk and made my way to my bike. I waked into the garage quickly not wanting to get caught still here by Tifa who insisted that I left already. I walked over to the bike with silent steps flipping open the sword compartment and taking out the swords to put in any luggage that the couple may have when I pick them up later.

I flicked a switch on the bike turning on the engine so I heard her soft musical purr. I quickly sat on my bike smirking to myself as I revved the engine. I steadied the bike while I pulled my goggles out of a compartment in the back. Tifa had bought me some new ones after Yazoo had shot mine off when I first met the remnants.

Great first impressions…

My new goggles were much like the old ones. They had the same shape the only difference were the colours. The lenses were a tinted metallic blue and the rims around the lenses were sliver along with the rest of the glasses. Silver and blue apparently went with black, according to Tifa anyway…

I revved the bike again before I zoomed forward out of the garage like a bullet out of a gun.


	2. Like, A Date?

Chapter 2: like, a date?

I'd made it to Cid's home sooner than I thought, I forgot he only lived a few minutes away, he moved to edge a while ago to look out for Tifa while I was gone. I was grateful for it; we could send Denzel over there anytime we want to be by ourselves for a bit. He was 11 now and he was being schooled by Shera, Cid's wife.

"Cid?" I called into the house "Barrett? Marlene?" I called getting no answer. I knew Cid left the door open when he went out and shrugged walking back out the house.

"Cloud!" I heard shouted from the front garden. Denzel ran up and enveloped me in a hug. For such a little kid he sure was strong!

"Where you been?" I asked ruffling the little kid's hair. I smiled slightly at him as he burst into a giant toothy grin.

"Me and Marlene went to see a movie called Goodbye Lullaby. Marlene choose it, she said it was good but it was all girly and soppy." Denzel shook his head and stuck out his tongue in disgust at the film he had watched. Since when was Marlene into romance films?

"Where were Cid and Barrett while you guys were at the movies?" I asked looking down on the excited little boy.

"They went to the bar!" I almost laughed at Denzel's willingness to rat out his favourite 'uncles' who were support to be keeping sober for the next few days.

"Really…" I said scratching my chin. I now had dirt on Cid to make him do something for me. Heh heh dir is good… Denzel didn't notice my reaction and just went on with his enthusiastic talking.

"How's prowler?" was Denzel's first question. He had grown to love the dog in my absence. That was the sole reason we couldn't get rid of him. That and Tifa would throw a fit if I even suggested it.

I sighed and rolled my eyes, some things never changed. Denzel loved his dog and Cid and Barrett loved their manly beer time. These are the facts of life. All of a sudden my pants started vibrating startling Denzel. I pulled the phone out of my back pocket.

"Hello?" I asked flipping it open as I held it to my ear. I soon pulled it away when I heard the laugh and the loud voice on the other side

"Cloud!" a masculine voice called from the other line.

"Sora." I replied with a smirk after wincing at his volume.

"Me and Kai will be docking in the gummi hangar in ten. You know? The one by the old Shinra building?" the boy was very knowledgeable for an outsider.

"I know the place." I murmured to him looking down to Denzel. He was smiling up at me.

"'Kay, I'll see you there."

"On my way." I assured him flipping the phone shut. I looked to Denzel and sighed. I could feel to corners of my lips curling as I looked down at him, he was so full of life! He looked up at me with a big smile of his own. He was almost as tall as me now; he reached my shoulder easily making me feel nervous he would overtake me soon. He was 13 now and hell, was he tall!

"Wanna come buddy?" I said ruffling his hair as if he was younger he chuckled before swatting my gloved hand away.

"Cloud! I'm not a kid!" he chuckled swatting my hand again until I gave him one of my smallest smirks.

"Alright kid." I teased him smirking a bit more. He mock scowled at me before his happy demeanour returned.

"Offer still stands, wanna come?" I said as I got onto my bike and patted the space behind me for Denzel to hop on.

"Cant, I have to stay. Me and Mar were going to the park later and we need to go get ready." I saw the slight blush of crimson on Denzel's face and inwardly grinned like a Cheshire cat.

"Like a date?" I asked hoping her would answer. Denz looked down and started fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

"Maybe..." He replied shyly. I know he always did like Marlene.

"Huh. I would take Tifa out if I didn't have to meet with my friends." I said tapping my chin as if in thought. I looked to the sky before looking back down to Denzel and giving him a small smile.

"Where are they sleeping?" Denzel asked smiling up at me. I think he was happy at the fact I was trying to be at home even if the road was calling me, even _I _didn't think I would've lasted this long in one place.

"Your room." I replied automatically. They would be in my room if it wasn't a nursery.

"Why can't you just send them out for the night? You can always just sit in the living room for a date." Denzel asked obviously curious. He leaned back on the fence outside of Cid's house that Fenrir was parked behind on the side of the road. Denzel looked away from me for a second "It would be easier to find a bed." He mumbled in a whisper. I don't think he wanted me to hear that.

"What did you just say?" I half shouted in half anger half shock if he was referring to me and Tifa having sex then he was gonna get it, I hated even Barrett and Cid making comments let alone a twelve year old kid!

"I mean... Ha! You have a date with a girl!" Denzel cried childishly before I had chance to think about what he had just said. He panicked I could tell in his face.

I remembered the issue at hand quickly. He was barley 12 why was he going on a date with Marlene?

"Denzel stop being so childish!" Marlene called from behind me. She walked forward and stood next to Denzel with her hands on her hips. Damn she was almost as tall as me too... Why was everyone so tall?

"Yes mom." I teased her light heartedly when Denzel didn't answer. I wasn't sure why I was so happy today, it wasn't like me... Maybe it was the good night's sleep or making Tifa happy this morning or maybe because the date the baby was due was getting closer and closer.

"Yo! Strife! Where you runnin' off to?" Barrett's drunken voice called followed by Cid staggering around behind him, I would feel sorry for the two if it wasn't their own faults. They would pay in the morning...

"Gotta go collect a friend but Tifa sent me to check the kids were ok." I told him ruffling both kids hair and getting a whine of 'Cloud!' out of each of them. I chuckled before pressing up the kickstand and starting the engine of the bike again.

"Anyway I gotta go. You two have fun and don't do anything PG-13." I told the two as I pulled my goggles over my eyes.

"Yes Cloud!" the two chorused back to me hand in hand. I leaned back down over my bike revving the engine once again before giving the people in front of the house a two finger salute in goodbye and speeding off towards the old Shinra HQ. 


	3. You Have HOW Many Bags?

Chapter 3- You Have HOW Many Bags?

Driving along the road on Fenrir was always thrilling. Everyone turned to look at me as I sped past realising it was me but not having chance to say anything. I always drove too fast for the limit too. Not that the law cared seeing as the law was Rufus Shinra and the Turks. They wouldn't care about ME speeding after they knew what I can do.

I passed through the newly finished road that I had taken many times. The first being the fight with the remnants before it was even complete and the next a few months later when it was open to the good people of Midgar and Kalm where the road lead to in the end. I always used this road to get from the bar to Cid's house; it was also good to use to get to the old HQ.

I passed through the tunnel that most of the fighting between me, Loz and Yazoo happened in. I could still see little pieces of the bike I sliced in half as I drove past and I also saw the holes in the road that hadn't been taken out. A sign was taped to the wall, obviously someone from AVALANCHE or someone who valued us and me.

'The site of a battle between Cloud Strife and the remnants of 'The One Winged Angel', Sephiroth!' The sign said. It was only made of paper but it had remained over the two years since the battle. People used to leave flowers in honour of those who died that day, while others left flowers thanking me. I only knew because Vincent dropped by here and told me.

Vincent was living with Yuffie right now in Klam. Yuffie didn't want to go back to Wutai in case of anymore threats to Midgar or its people.

More like she wanted to stay with Vincent...

I made it to the old Shinra HQ within 10 minutes. It was just enough time for me to see Sora's colourful ship touch down on the landing pad Cid had built for the town. I quickly dismounted Fenrir and put the kickstand up. I leaned back onto my bike crossing my arms and looking down for a minute.

I looked up to see the the bottom ofthe ship closing down on the landin pad. The wind from the impact on the ground blew my spikes back and off my face. I sighed and shook my head at the sight of the ship. Shielding my eyes with one hand to get a better look.

The blocks that made up the ship were mostly red and yellow with a pointed red nose and long red wings. The cockpit was yellow and there were bee- like stripes along the long nose. Small gun and laser block surrounded the ship almost as if they were hanging in mid air. I knew they were put in place by the gravitational pull of the Gummi. I saw the cockpit open and some stairs suddenly appear from within it. They folded down from a curled position. I heard a 'Snap!' before they looked sturdy as anything.

Two figures got out onto the steps. The first was a boy of the age of 18 he looked young in his scuffed blue jeans and long sleeved red shirt. The boy had spiky brown hair that was shorter than mine and not nearly as spiky. His eyes were blue and his skin was tanned. He looked taller than me -like everyone else on this god damned planet- and carried a case in one hand and a travel bag in the other.

Next to step out of the ship was a 17 year old girl. She had an outfit that could class as school uniform on, a short plaid blue skirt and a White blouse. She also wore long White socks that stopped around mid thigh and a plaid blue toe to match the skirt. She had long red hair and blue eyes. She had a great figure for a seventeen year old. In her one hand was a tote bag that could pass as a school bag, while in the other she held the handle of a large case.

It took me a minute to realise I had to get these cases on my bike along with the two other people.

'Well thought out Cloud you dumbass...' I thought to myself. 'Should've taken the car...' I added as an angry afterthought scowling down to the floor at the thought.

"Cloud!" a cheery voice called. I looked up from the floor my eyes met the kid running towards me. He noticed my perch; I was leaning on my bike. I nodded to him before my eyes went back down to the pavement below me.

The boy ran up so he was standing in front of me with a wide smile on his face. I didn't smile back, just watched him thinking about how I was going to get both of them and their luggage onto the bike. Fenrir only had one seat and I sure as hell couldn't fit ALL of the luggage in my sword compartment, even if there wasn't a single sword or wrack part in the side guards. Tifa and I never travel this heavy when we go on holiday.

"Crap..."' I mumbled rubbing the back of my neck out of habit. I picked it up from Zack a while ago. I wince as my hand grazed the scraped and scarred skin on the base of my neck. Guess I need to cover my neck next time I fall off Fenrir.

"What's up?" Sora asked as Kairi got closer to where I stood. I looked up at him and then to Kairi. They looked the same as when I saw Sora in Radiant Garden last, I never met Kairi before.

"You pack to heavily!" I scolded them lightly furrowing my eyebrows at the two and scowling.

"We ARE staying for 3 weeks!" Sora defended. Folding his arms and looking away from me for a second. Kairi just looked between the two of us confused. Sora had taken to glaring at me now so I just glared back.

"I've been to Wutai for a month and I only had a duffle bag the same size as that tote and your travel bag! Now I'm gonna have to call Teef!" I sighed running a hand through my hair in anger. She was going to kill me if she realised that I needed her to come from the store to get me and our guests.

"Why are you scared to call your girlfriend to give us a lift?" Kairi asked sweetly. I looked up to her slowly trying not to seem hostile as I looked at here. She blushed a bit under my gaze. "I'm Kairi." She added almost as if she didn't think I knew her.

"Cloud." I told her acknowledging her with a lazy pulling of my elbow up into a half hearted wave. "And as for being scared of Tifa, I wouldn't normally be but I left my sword at home so if she tries to attack me I can't protect myself." I told her glaring at Sora for a minute almost as if willing him to summon his key.

"She can't be THAT violent!" Sora chuckled rolling his eyes. I looked at him wondering why I invited such a cheery person to visit for so long. Oh yeah, he invited himself.

"Remember the first time you met her?" I asked Sora through hooded eyes and my fringe.

"Yeah!" Sora said folding his arms and smiling placing a hand on his chin while reminiscing. "She walked in and asked us if we had seen a guy with spiky hair. Then after we answered no to seeing you she proceeded to walk around the room kicking the walls." Sora finished with a smile as he adjusted his stance. He still stood with his arms crossed but with a broad smile on his face.

"That's NORMAL Tifa. I can calm her down. I'm talking PREGNANT Tifa. Mood swings are coming naturally right now." I told them rubbing the back of my neck again. I winced as I felt the deep scabbing graze on my neck open.

"She doesn't sound too bad." Sora told me confidently.

"You say that now..." I mumbled as I walked behind my bike to the storage compartment. I looked around for my phone before remembering I never picked it up off the worktop in the kitchen when I walked out this morning. Instead of my phone I came across a glittering Materia ball. I picked it up for a minute turning it in my fingers as I tried to remember what it was and why it was placed there.

My eyes widened as I remembered why it was there. My Miniaturize Materia! For when I had really big packages I needed to put on the bike! I could shrink the cases and fit them in the sword compartment. I smirked at the idea tossing the Materia in the air and catching it in my palm closing my fingers around it.

"What are you doing, Cloud?" Kairi asked as I outstretched both arms to the two large cases between Kairi and Sora.

"MINI!" I shouted watching as a pink stream of light flew out of my outstretched fists and swirled around the cases, they shrunk easily to a side that would fit into Fenrir's sword compartment even if I had three of my swords with me.

"They shrunk!" Sora gasped walking over to poke one case in the side.

"Nothing gets past you Sora." I muttered rolling my eyes before Kairi pulled them over to the bike.

"Don't be so sarky. You have us for the next three weeks remember!" Sora said cheerfully as I threw the cases on the sword rack.

"Don't remind me..." I muttered before mounting Fenrir. "Get on." I added motioning to the seat behind me with a tilt of the head.

"Both on one seat?" Sora asked looking at the bike with a raised eyebrow.

"You're together aren't you?" I asked returning his gaze before turning to the road. I turned on the bike and revved the engine. I still wore my goggles having not taken them off anyway.

"Do we get cool glasses?" Sora asked as he climber into the bike. I stayed silent waiting and not answering his question while Kairi got onto the bike.

"Hey! Cloud! Answer!" Sora said with his signature angry scowl on his face. I rolled my eyes and didn't look back or reply. When I didn't reply I heard Sora sigh before I felt Sora grab my shoulders so he was safe but didn't look gay. Kairi wrapped her arms around him

"Hold on." I told the two before I revved the engine and took off in the direction of 7th Heaven. Sora's grip tightened at my speed while I let out one of my small smiles at the thought of seeing Tifa again.

I sure hope she's in a good mood...


	4. The Evil Lair Of Tifa, Cloud and Dog

**R.Y.N.O** **informed me of a few spelling mistakes in my first couple chapters. I'd just like to say sorry and ill be reviewing them but I wrote most of those first 3 chapters on my IPod so there are bound to be a few mistakes. Then the Microsoft word spellchecker doesn't work well on my laptop so... I can't be blamed. Ok?**

Chapter 4 – Welcome To The Evil Lair Of Tifa and Cloud.

(Cloud POV)

We got home quickly at the speed I was travelling. I wondered if Tifa would've gotten home before me or not. I hoped she was home; I wanted to introduce her to Sora and Kairi. The two riding on the back of the bike had gotten scared when we first pulled out of the ship landing point. I moved along at around 75 normally but I changed my speed for then so I went at 65 instead. Bet they didn't even notice the difference...

I hoped off the bike grumbling but smirking to myself as I saw Sora's hair that had been swept back into a style similar to Zack's in the wind while Kairi's hair was windswept and all over the place. I chuckled at the two while they scowled at me.

"...Suits you." I snickered covering my mouth with my hand.

"At least I wear Symmetrical clothes." Sora shot back. He could be very good at comebacks when he wanted to be. I huffed before pulling my keys out of the front compartment of Fenrir. I deposited my goggles in the hatch and wheeled the bike into the garage for safe keeping if it rained.

"Don't remark on my clothes. At least I don't just wear a one piece outfit." I muttered back trying to find my key so I could get into the bar from the garage. I patted down all my pockets before I remembered id left the key in the goggle compartment on my bike. I walked back over to see Sora standing leaning on the bike. He had his arms behind his head and one ankle crossed in front of the other.

"But seriously Cloud. One sleeve, half a cape and one shoulder guard. Ever think of either loosing the halves or getting another half?" Sora said with a smirk. He was getting on my nerves and he only just got here... I moved the bike as I searched for the key. Sora jerked off almost falling over but catching himself and glaring at my back.

"Go talk to your girlfriend." I muttered as I found the key and pushed the door allowing myself into the house. I could hear quiet footsteps upstairs before I heard low humming that I knew had to be Tifa. The footsteps stopped in the living room but the humming commenced.

"Tifa?" I called hoping for an answer. Either that or we had someone upstairs robbing us. I doubt the latter seeing as I knew I it was Tifa I could hear humming, but it was just a thought...

"In the living room!" Her voice called back. I walked up the stairs ignoring the protests from Sora at having to carry his own bags. Stupid spiky –but not as spiky as my hair- headed kid. They were the size of a girl's purse; he could carry the two cases! I could hear that Kairi was calming him I walked up the stars and into the living room. I saw immediately saw Tifa sitting reading a book. She had it rest on her large stomach while she held a glass of lemonade in her other hand. I watched her for a minute before I leaned in the door frame. I crossed my arms and crossed my one foot over the other leaning on my shoulder and hip in the doorway.

I watched as Tifa put her glass down and sat up closing the book before opening it at a different page. I read the cover while the book was closed; Loveless.

"Loveless? I knew a 1st Class in SOLDIER who used to love that book." I said startling Tifa into looking around to me. I pushed myself up using my shoulder walking forward to Tifa before continuing.

"He was called Genesis, he was a friend of Zack's; Well, kinda... He went missing before Zack turned first and we had to fight him and kill him. Well, Zack fought him; I was too weak. It was about a month before he died." I said sitting down next to her on the sofa she was on.

"Was he a bad guy?" Tifa asked pushing herself up to lean against my shoulder. I wrapped an arm around her and rested my head on top of hers.

"I'm not sure... I never met him. I was only a cadet, he sometimes took a training session or two but I never really knew him because his disappeared a few months after I joined." While I was talking I placed a hand on Tifa's stomach without noticing until I felt her hand over mine.

"He must've been good at one point. And if he trained you he couldn't have been that bad." Tifa told me almost as if trying to reassure me of some goodness in everyone's hearts. I looked into her eyes for a minute before turning away to look out the window where silent rain had started to fall.

"But he was friends with Sephiroth..." I told her in a conflicted voice. I remember Zack had been friends with Sephiroth too, back when he was... sane, if you could ever call Sephiroth sane. "Genesis was an experiment, an unstable one. He was known for starting fights with Sephiroth to see who was better. Now look what happened to him and Sephiroth. They're both dead. He was an experiment that failed. Just like Zack's mentor Angeal; the only difference was Angeal was good, he helped Zack all the time and me too, sometimes." I explained while I lightly tracing patterns on Tifa's stomach.

"Do you miss Zack?" Tifa asked in a lazy voice. She seemed almost too relaxed in my arms. I thought about her question for a minute. I did miss Zack, every day. I always visit his grave when I'm passing by just to say a few words or talk to my fallen best friend. I remembered the short amount of time we had spent together in SOLDIER, Zack was always the top rank while I was always the lowest employee who couldn't even win in a fight against one monster.

"All the time." I replied after a short while. I was still remembering times with Zack from when I was younger. I remember when we were on the run and I couldn't do anything by myself, Zack protected me and looked after me. He was the best friend I could've asked for... apart from Tifa.

"Sometimes I wonder... if I died in the Mako tank in those 4 years of testing, I wonder if Zack would've lived..." I sighed lifting my head to allow myself to look down at Tifa with sorrow filled eyes.

"No Cloud, if you died he wouldn't have had any thoughts to keep him going." Tifa told me pulling her head up off my shoulder to look at me. Her face was incredibly close to mine as I stared into her eyes.

"He was trying to get to Aerith. That was his driving element." I told Tifa almost wishing I wasn't trapped looking into her eyes like a deer caught in headlights.

"But you kept him going when he thought he was hopeless, you gave him something to protect." Tifa told me softly looking deeply into my eyes. She inched closer so her lips were ghosting over mine but not touching them.

"Maybe your right..." Was all I got out before Tifa moved closer gently pressing her lips against mine. I felt her push in my shoulders a little trying to get me to lie down but I stayed sat up and instead pulled her onto my lap holding her by her waist.

"Hey Cloud! Where's our ro- Cloud? Hey! Hey Cloud!" I heard Sora's obnoxious and unwanted voice before I saw him. I cracked open an eye not moving to change the position of me or Tifa. I saw Sora standing in the doorway with his eyebrows furrowed and his hands on his hips. I grunted telling him to go away before shifting Tifa so I could kiss along her neck. I felt her hands weave into my hair before I heard Sora again.

"HEY! Stop sucking face and pay attention to your guests!" he shouted at me causing Tifa to break away from me and move to stand up before straightening out her clothes and giggling to herself.

"You have the worst timing ever Sora!" I groaned before getting up myself and wrapping an arm around Tifa's waist. Tifa pulled my hand from around her and held it, intertwining our fingers with a smile on her face.

"Tell me about it..." I heard Sora grumble massaging his left shoulder absentmindedly. Maybe he had an old battle wound there; either that or it was a reflex reaction for this type of thing.

"Where's Kairi?" I asked trying to change to subject. I turned my head from side to side as if searching for the girl in pink. I heard the clunk of sneakers on the stairs as Kairi came up to the room we were in. She looked into the room timidly as if hoping not to impose. She looked hesitant as she hung onto the doorframe not in the room but not completely out either.

"You can come in you know." Tifa said from next to me giggling to herself at the girls timid nature. I smiled at her and then at Kairi beckoning her into the room with a tilt of my head. Tifa moved away from me letting go of my hand to go and greet Kairi. The girl walked into the room shyly first moving to stand beside Sora before Tifa came closer to her.

"I'm Tifa, Cloud's girlfriend." Tifa extended a hand to the girl waiting for Kairi to reach out to shake her hand.

"I'm Kairi, Sora's girlfriend." Kairi took Tifa's hand shaking it before dropping her hand to the side. I walked up next to Tifa once again taking her hand before smiling at Kairi. I looked over to Sora who was staring at Tifa. I rolled my eyes at him.

"What is it Sora?" I asked in a half sigh of frustration. This kid was annoying about 60% of the time. The other 40% he was either serious or asleep. But not in that order...

"When Cloud said you were pregnant I didn't think he meant THIS pregnant!" Sora said talking directly to Tifa while staring at her enlarged stomach. I rolled my eyes and kissed Tifa on her temple. She smiled quickly at me before turning back to Sora and Kairi.

"Yeah, it was a while ago... can I just say I could kick your ass even though I'm pregnant." Tifa told Sora smirking and crossing her arms looking at Sora for a minute before turning and grabbing her book. She looked at me and smiled kissing my cheek before moving forward.

"Kairi let me show you to your room." Tifa said softly holding out her hand to the other girl. Kairi smiled to Tifa before kissing Sora on the cheek and grabbing Tifa's arm and smiling at her. They both walked out happily and by the time they reached the stairs light conversation flowed between them. I was glad they were becoming friends. Maybe Kairi could come on her own next time...

I looked over to Sora who beamed at me. I rolled my eyes before I flopped down on the couch. Why did he have to be so peppy all the time? He was even peppier than Zack in the old days and he was nicknamed 'Puppy', can't get peppier that a puppy, he was just over happy.

"So Sora, what do you do every day to make you so... peppy. You're as bad as Yuffie. Maybe is an age thing... she's about your age." I mused smirking to myself. I motioned for Sora to sit on the other couch before picking up the remote and flicking on the TV. I switched the channel to the news to hear about the Mako reactors that were shutdown and how the loss of energy would lead to more blackouts in edge. Not that it mattered to me anyway; I used to fight to get rid of them after all. But back then it was just a job...

"I drink coffee in the morning I can't think of anything else." Sora told me in a more normal voice. I let out a small noise in amusement feeling my lips curve up. I lay back on the couch using my arms as a pillow.

"So Cloud what do you do around here to make you so..." I could tell Sora was struggling for words to describe me. I felt my lips tilt up slightly as I moved to see him lightly tapping his chin as if he was thinking.

"Monotonous and level headed?" I asked raising an eyebrow at Sora's silence.

"I was gonna say moody but that works too." Sora told me smirking as he spoke while I threw a small couch pillow at him. It hit off the wall with a soft crash. I knew Tifa had heard that, she had strict no throwing pillows or play fighting Denzel in the living room rule. Mostly because Tifa liked one room in the house to be clean...

"Cloud! Don't throw the pillows!" Tifa called from our room almost as if reading my thoughts. I rolled my eyes and turned to the door. She must be talking to Kairi in there. I could tell it was our room from the direction on her voice, my

"It was Sora!" I called back hearing the protests from Sora behind me due to the fact I just blamed him for something he could get the wrath of Tifa for. Like I said before I can calm NORMAL Tifa down as for PREGNANT Tifa I can't calm down and she just... gets very mad.

"Yeah right!" came the reply making Sora snicker behind me as I got up off the couch switching off the TV. I turned and glared at him before walking out of the living room into my office. Guests or no guests I needed to work at least 3 times a week to earn Gil. No Gil, no food.

I'd built an office where an old storage room used to be. Since my room used to be my office and now it was a nursery I had to find somewhere to work. The room was spacious, warm and had a giant window overlooking the old ShinRa HQ which meant I had to relive the memories every time I looked out the window... not that I minded. I had orders all over the walls and pictures of me, Tifa, Denzel and even Marlene and AVALANCHE on my desk. I had a copied picture of Tifa, Barrett, Marlene, Biggs, Wedge, Jesse, Aerith and I that Tifa had gave me hung up on the wall in remembrance to how it all started; with a few passed friends.

I had tires under the window for if Fenrir needed one replaced and deliveries stacked in one corner ready to be delivered tomorrow or when they are wanted. I sighed looking around the room once more before walking in and shutting the door behind me. I sat in the chair next to the desk and picked up an old diary with numbers in and the phone off the hook. I was just about to make a call when Tifa called up to me.

"Cloud! Sora! Come get ready we're going out!" Tifa called as soon as I'd picked up the phone to dial a client back. Id missed his call 2 days ago, I didn't like falling behind but I quickly put the phone down as Tifa called me. I heard Sora as he skidded along on the floor in his socks and up the stairs like an excited puppy.

I heard Prowler follow Sora up the stairs. I forgot the dog wasn't tied up since we came home, Tifa must've taken him for a walk... I heard Sora's shout of 'Hey! You have a puppy!' followed by 'Gah! The puppy bit me!' I stood up with a satisfied smirk on my face before walking up to my room to see Tifa.


	5. The Dog Is Gonna Eat Us With His Tongue

**R.Y.N.O, I'm not a Sora hater but I'm not really a fan of the guy either... He's just too happy all the time! Then he's always looking for a fight, or some way to make someone else happy! He really should just stay in Atlantica and rerun the musical over and over... He didn't even act for that. (Stupid dolphin boy...) Riku and Kairi are more mature and calm than him. I know Riku is a playable character in Dream Drop Distance (3ds game) and I think Tifa, Zack and Cloud should be in KH3! Cloud and Tifa probably will be, along with Yuffie, Leon/Squall, Cid and Aerith. Zack is in Birth By Sleep, played that one. My friend screamed when she saw he was in the game. She snatched my sisters PSP off me for it...**

**Anyways, heres the next chapter! Hope you enjoy it! I wrote it half on my iPod but I just checked over it in an ICT lesson so it should be fine. SHOULD! Ok, on with the story!**

Chapter 5 – Our room.

(Sora POV) (Or an attempt, I'm not hyped up on drugs like him...)

I walked into the room Cloud said me and Kai were sharing. The room was big with children's pictures all around. The walls were blue but obviously newly painted. The floor was wooden and a double bed placed in the middle of the dark wooden floor. The sheets were white with blue highlights and faded colours going throughout like a washed out smooth tye dye. I didn't know if Tifa had purposely put re cover on for Kairi or if it was the child's bed. I looked around the room while I plonked down on the bed in the empty room. I looked at each wall.

One wall was dedicated to photos and memorabilia over his chest of draws while another wall was a walk in closet. The last wall was dedicated to the crayon pictures. Some looked like they were drawn by five year olds while others looked like they were drawn by older kids.

However old the children they were good artists.

I looked to one picture in particular. It was in the centre of the wall coloured with the most vibrant colours of blue, black, red, white, pink, green and brown. Each person in the drawing was detailed like an older child's drawing but the colouring was a bit messy like a younger child's. In the picture there were 3 adults and 2 children. One adult had blonde spiky hair and big blue eyes. He must be Cloud due to the symbol over his head. I had seen it on his shoulder pad, on his gloves, in his eat even on his phone!

The adult next to Cloud in the picture was female. She had dark brown hair that was also scribbled violently in black. Her eyes were brown with red scribble over the brown to try and change the colour slightly. Her clothes were a black attire consisting of a black zip up vest thing and a pair of black knee length pants that looked confused in a skirt type material at the back. I knew it had to be Tifa the way the child had drawn their hands joining in a ball in the middle of the page. Over the drawing of Tifa was a small picture of a flower obviously drawn by a girl due to it's detail that a male child wouldn't care for.

The last adult was a large muscular man. He had one arm that was coloured in white while the other was coloured in his darker skin colour. His hair was almost an Afro drawn by the child even if not intended to be one. I didn't know who the man was. He wore a white vest and some green pants. In the picture he held the hand of a girl. Their hands were also knots. The symbol above his head was an intricately drawn gun which seemed to be attached to the mans arm in a small scale sketch.

The little girl holding the mans hand had the most detail as if the girl herself had drawn it. Her eyes and lips were evenly proportioned showing how brown her eyes were in the child's picture. Her hair was also brown and twisted into a plait with a pink ribbon like the girl I met in Radiant Garden. She was from around here, I'd ask Cloud about her later. The girls Cloud's were all white, a skirt, shirt and white sneakers. A typical child in her head but not wearing any denim like a normal kid of any age these days. Above the child's head was a picture of a different flower to Tifa. While Tifa's flower symbol seemed to be a flower on an intricate vine with multiple flowers the flower over the girl was a single Lilly, showing innocence.

The last figure in the picture was a boy. He was next to Cloud smiling up at him happily. He had brown hair and green eyes that seemed to have been attacked by glitter in the picture. This boy was the only person with glitter in his eyes, either he drew it or whoever did likes him. The boy was happy in the picture ad he held the little girls hand who was also holding the bigger mans hand. He had a shirt and jeans on, a more kid-like appearance than the girl. He had an intricate lion symbol above his head almost as if he was trying to be like Cloud. Maybe he was...

"Admiring the kids work?" Tifa asked from the door as I looked at the picture. She had changed her clothes from since I last saw her. She was now wearing a form fitting blue dress. Her hair was up in a giant clip. (I can't remember what they're called... They cover almost all the back of your head and you use them to grip your hair upwards off your neck... I wish I could remember the name...) the outfit suited her right down to the White flat dolly shoes.

"You don't have children yet." I pointed out looking Tifa up and down. She just stood there smirking at me. She shook her head a little smile still in place and pointed to the desk on Kairi's chosen side of the double bed we were sharing.

"Top draw." she told us watching as Kairi walked over and opened the draw. She looked before showing me the picture frame lying upside down in the draw.

I walked over and pulled the frame out of Kairi's hands gently to see the picture held within it. The picture was one with Tifa, Cloud, a young boy and an older girl. The children were smiling as they hugged the two adults in the photo. The boy hugged Cloud while the girl held his and Tifa's hands. Everyone was smiling even Cloud who never smiled. I smiled at the happy family before looking up to Tifa in the doorway. I noticed neither of the children shared any of Cloud's or Tifa's genetics.

The family looked nothing alike but like a family anyway.

"Orphans..." Kairi breathed to herself noticing the same differences in the family as I did. Her voice was almost lost in the whisper. She obviously felt saddened that the children had to be fostered anyway but if I knew Kairi -and I do- she would be happy that two nice people like Cloud and Tifa had adopted them.

"Where are the kids then?" I asked happily before watching as Tifa's smile faded.

"Denzel is at a friend's house but Marlene doesn't live here anymore." she told me sadly looking at the floor.

"Why not?" I asked her walking over to stand in front of her. Kairi extended an arm out towards Tifa from behind me; I knew she felt sorry for the woman too.

"Cloud left." she said softly almost as if she didn't want Cloud to hear her talking about the sadness he caused to her and her family. I looked to the smiling girl in the picture. She was young but older than the boy making her seem more likely to be used to mental breakdowns. From what Tifa was saying she didn't take this kind of stuff well.

"She took it bad." I said not even asking just looking up to confirm my statement. I looked up at Tifa for a minute while she looked back up at me with protective doe-like mothering eyes. She must have a prominent mothering side to her; she had strong feelings about the children she had consequently lost due to the actions of a free spirited individual such as Cloud.

"You have no idea." she sighed looking down again to her feet or even her baby bump. I wonder if she can see her feet under that...

I took Tifa's shoulder in my one outstretched hand. I squeezed it in reassurance before waking past her with Kairi who walked with me into the living room. I looked back at Tifa as she sighed and turned to her door opening as Cloud came out. I stopped and watched as they hugged quietly before Tifa started talking to Cloud about our conversation. I turned as I saw Clouds face twist in anguish at what he had done to his family. He knew he had done it, even if Tifa wouldn't admit it.

I turned as I felt Kairi tug on my sleeve. I was wearing a long sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans with my black red and yellow shoes from my latest journey. They were my most comfortable shoes right now. I stared into Kairi's eyes as she came in front of me.

"Let them have their private moment." She told me in a whisper before tugging me down into the bar.

Cloud and Tifa joined us down at the bar 20 minutes after we got down there. They were each smiling happily about something and sat on the serving side of the bar as we sat on the receiving side of the counter. Cloud looked me up and down as if sizing me up. I knew I could beat him in a fight. BRING IT ON BLONDIE!

Cough… sorry…

"What?" I asked him as he just stared at me in the silence.

"I was trying to see if you had drunk any of the alcohol for the bar." He said simply looking to me then Kairi then to Tifa. "He didn't by the way." He added placing his head in his hands staring at the wall ahead with his elbows on the counter.

"Why would you care if I drank it?" I asked in a grumble, it didn't take a lot to get me drunk but it wasn't like we were going out. I looked to cloud and Tifa who were looking at each other. I noticed Cloud was dressed better than usual making me rethink my not going out statement.

"Well, were going to see 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' in the cinema and we don't want you drunk." Tifa told him with a smile. She stood quickly and walked over to the other side of the bar ready to leave.

"The Nightmare Before Christmas?" Kairi asked in a surprised time. I was surprised too; I hadn't seen that movie before.

"Yeah, it's playing on Loveless Avenue." Cloud said as he walked past me to stand by Tifa. She took his hand and beamed at me and Kairi. She was smiling happily as he wrapped an arm around her letting go of her hand to hold the other one on her hip. He kissed her temple again and Tifa smiled wider in his arms.

"So… how are we fitting four people on the bike?" I asked cheerily standing up and skipping over to where Cloud and Tifa stood. I moved behind them and put my arms around them squeezing my head in between the two of theirs and pushing their arms apart to make room for me in the middle of their embrace as if I was their child** (well he does has spiky brown hair and blue eyes…) **Kairi looked at me with her 'I know you're kidding' look raising an eyebrow at me.

"You are walking and if you keep this up we won't be walking with you." Cloud said angrily looking at me with a venomous stare. Overprotective much? I let go of him and Tifa and backed away with my hands up in surrender. I moved slowly like he was going to pounce on me if I made any sudden movements. I moved slowly so I was next to Kairi. I put a hand over hers and watched as she laced her hand in mine. I smiled smugly at Cloud for some reason before noticing he was turned around and kissing Tifa.

"GUYS!" I shouted making them break up with a grunt of annoyance from Cloud. I snickered at him watching as Tifa sneakily whispered 'Later' to Cloud.

"Oh walking? How far away is it?" I asked letting go of Kairi- who I had now taken to holding closer to me- and walking to stand with my back to the counter. I heard a dog bark at me from behind and turned quickly, startled to see the giant wolf-like think in the doorway to the back garden.

"RABID WOLF!" I screamed as in my most manly way. Cloud burst out laughing at me and opened the patio door allowing the beast into the room. It growled at me before it pounced on me sending me to the floor.

Cloud was still laughing while Tifa chuckled and Kairi was just watching in awe as the wolf attempted to pull me apart!

….with his… tongue?

"Come Prowler." Tifa said tapping her leg and making the dog get off me. She attached a lead to his collar and threw the lead to the dog who caught it with ease in his jaw. The dog moved on its own accord dragging the lead as he started around the room looking at each person in turn.

"Well? Who's taking you for a walk?" Cloud asked the dog putting his hands on his knees and leaning down to the dog as Prowler walked close to him. 'Prowler' let out a soft bark before walking to me. He sniffed my leg then did the same to Kairi before walking back to me and with a flick of his head whipping the lead end into my hand.

"You have to walk the dog to Cid's house Sora." Tifa told me as I looked at the dog with a wrinkled nose. I don't like this dog. He tried to eat me with his tongue! Or, that's what ill tell everyone…

"I don't know where he lives." I muttered crossing my arms at the thought of taking the devil dog to the pilot's house. Kairi got up from her seat and walked over to the dog who now sat at my feet happily hitting my feet with his tail and panting with his mouth hanging open. Kairi stooped in front of the puppy patting its head and laughing happily at him as he licked her face when she leaned close.

"Cid's house is on the way. You can walk the dog there then drop him off, we'll wait outside." Tifa told me walking over to pick up a jacket off a chair in the bar. She must've left it there earlier. Kairi was still playing with the dog happily tickling his stomach as he lay down rolling around on his back with a wolfy grin plastered on his face.

"Why don't you come in?" I asked her. Tifa looked to Cloud who shrugged before her cheeks reddened a little bit. I sensed a story behind this.

"Well… Cid likes to… comment. And Barret is just as bad. They like to comment on Cloud too, we just tend not stay around them long if they comment too much." Tifa explained looking at prowler as he wiggled enjoying Kairi's touch.

"And I'd like to point out that they're drunk." Cloud added drawing all eyes to him. "I was there earlier visiting Denz," he told us. Tifa rolled her eyes and crossed her eyes before crossing over to the door and opening it.

"They were supposed to be staying Sober." She pointed out tapping her leg to get Prowler to follow her. The dog looked up and twisted out of Kairi's grasp carefully before bounding after Tifa and dragging me with him.

"Whoa!" I called as he pulled me out after Tifa and Cloud.

"Did I mention we were leaving?" Cloud called to me with a small smirk.

"No, but your dog did." I growled as I followed the chatting couple up the street with Kairi.

**Ok, that's it! hope you enjoyed it, the next one will be up soon!**


	6. Sora On Screen

**Hey, I know Cloud getting worked up in the middle (you'll see what I mean when you read) was very out of character for the shy guy but I'd already wrote the rant and wanted to keep it in.**

Chapter 6- Sora's On Screen

(Cloud POV)

We walked up the street barley noticed by any of the people in Edge which was rare, but a good thing nonetheless. I hated the attention we got walking down the street. After we were in AVALANCHE, saved the world from Meteor, saved the world from Shinra -kind of- and saved the world from Sephiroth everyone seemed to want to be our friend. Even the god damned Turks!

Prowler had happily walked Sora to Cid's house. I say he walked Sora because Sora was dragged there by our stupid over energetic puppy. Sora groaned all the way to Loveless Avenue about his legs aching from the dogs insistent pulling on his wrist. I'd just rolled my eyes at the teenager and walked on grabbing Tifa by the hand and smiling as she intertwined our fingers together as we walked.

He thought his legs hurt now, in the morning he won't be able to move if this is the best he can do in holding the dog back. His arms will hurt too. I'd say poor Sore but it was Prowler's choice. Prowler always did have a strong set if legs on him.

Kairi and Sora were slow walkers so me and Tifa had gone on ahead to get to the Avenue before the two of them. They would be able to find their way; it was signposted everywhere after being a famous place for tourists for many years.

At the minute we were standing outside of the cinema beside the theatre that was playing 'LOVELESS' the favourite book of Genesis Rhapsodos, first class SOLDIER for a short time during time I was a cadet there. Tifa was standing beside me still holding my hand while I slowly and unconsciously started to trace patterns on Tifa's over-sized stomach. I saw her smile when she noticed the action before me.

I saw Kairi and Sora turn the corner onto Loveless Avenue. Sora still had a bag of things that Barrett had forced on him saying that the house had a shortage of them and seeing as it was too late for us he could have them.

The look of Sora's face when he opened a bag of condoms... Priceless.

Tifa and I hadn't gone into the house. Cid and Barrett were sat in the porch anyway ready for our arrival.

They were insistent that we stay for a bite to eat. We rejected of course. I hoped the dog would be fine with the two drunken men. As much as I hated the stupid mutt he didn't deserve to be beaten up to trod on by two drunken old men. I hope he bites one of them if they do.

"Spike one and two! Your girls need to eat!" Cid had said pointing to me then to a surprised Sora when we refused food for the third time.. I was glad that Sora saw Cid like this, maybe he would see what a drunk the old man actually was when he wasn't around girls like the now deceased Aerith...

"Yeah, I know you aren't any good in the kitchen. Yuffie told us what she walked in on..." Barrett added pointing at me. Its times like these I wonder why these guys are my friends... especially Yuffie. Either she walks in on something or Tifa will tell her – being her best friend- then Yuffie goes and spreads whatever was seen –or said- like a wildfire. Stupid ninja...

"And I hope you're feeding Tifa, you knocked her up after all!" Cid added to what Barrett said. The two were like a married couple sometimes. Still, I forget that Cid is married sometimes, even now. He doesn't exactly give off the 'married' vibe to anyone who sees him.

"I feed her." I growled pulling Tifa close. She scowled at the pair as only Moody-Pregnant-Tifa could. It was a look that would kill if it could.

"Stop being mean!" she almost whined at the men I looked at her with a raised eyebrow. It was a very un-Tifa like thing for her to do. Even Barrett and Cid knew she wasn't supposed to do that, their eyebrows were furrowed but they quickly recovered. Tifa blinked a few times as if realising what she did.

"never done that before." she muttered to me. "never again." she muttered obviously not liking the tone and pitch her voice had taken.

"Your right, it's your fault just as much." Barrett added flippantly having not heard Tifa's mutterings. He folded his mechanical arm over his normal one as he looked at me and Tifa. I saw Sora raise an eyebrow and Kairi just look a the men as if they were crazy. Sorry Kairi. Not crazy just drunk, get used to it.

"What?" Sora asked clearly confused by the conversation in the room Tifa and I just sighed and walked away from the house without a goodbye while we heard the explanation from Cid behind us.

"How old are you kid? 17? So you had the talk. Well basically Cloud got Tifa drunk and fucked her. Tifa claims she was sober but anyway she got pregnant straight after so spiky –who left- came back after he heard Barrett tell Denzel Tifa wasn't ok over the phone when he called. So Spike came back and they made up and now they fucking live happily ever after." Cid threw his hands into the air at the end of his speech turning to Barrett while we turned to call to Sora and Kairi before they heard too much. "End of story. I feel sorry for the kid. His parents are fucked up." Cid grumbled ending his tale to the two teenagers.

They came running towards us after that without so much as a goodbye to the two drunk men.

"Hey! Why didn't you wait for us!" Sora called as he and Kairi came up to stand by us on Loveless Avenue. Kairi trailed behind him holding his hand. I saw Tifa look at her sympathetically and Kairi nod back in silent acknowledgment. I felt sorry for kairi too, was sora the only guy in her world her age or did she just get forced with him by something. Sora scowled up at me in an act. He could never be angry, stupid kid was too happy to be remotely angry at anyone.

"You were too slow." I reported taking Tifa's hand once again and walking into the lobby of the cinema without any other interaction with Sora.

"Two adults, two children for 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'." I told the woman on the desk. Sora folded his arms behind me.

"I'm not a kid!" he insisted. Kairi just looked at Sora before walking beside Tifa. I looked at the girl who Sora had bought with him. Kairi was serene and calm, unlike Sora. I like Kairi more than Sora and I've only known her a day!

"I'll pay for our tickets. And Sora, you are a child. In this world they don't have student tickets so just go with it!" Kairi told him pulling out a purse of changed coins. The Munny Kairi had bought with her had changed into Gil on the Gummi Ship – like everything from Disney it happened magically and inexplicably.

"He acts like a kid anyway." I told Kairi. She was now standing between me and Tifa, I didn't mind her there, Sora had squeezed his way in before thought, unwanted and unwelcome while Kairi had a reason and she wanted to pay for her and Sora so she needed to get to the cash register.

"He lost 2 years of his life in sleep, give him a break." Kairi told us softly as she paid for the tickets. After we got then we all stood to the side while Sora went to get himself a snack. I looked to the boy who now had popcorn and a bag of gummy worms in each hand. I felt a little sympathy for the boy, two years... But it wasn't that long.

"At least be sympathetic that he had a hard time. I can't even imagine what he went through. It must've been unbearable. Being asleep after just trying to get home." Kairi said with a sigh. "I can tolerate his childishness, he hasn't had the time to grow up, why rush him?" Kairi turned to look at me. I didn't see her though; I was looking down at the floor with my fists clenched.

I noticed Tifa's concerned gaze watching me as she waited for Kairi's words to sink into my brain. Tifa knew how I felt about losing years of life but Sora being in peaceful sleep for two years wasn't worth sympathy now that thought about it. I would've given anything for two years comfortable sleep instead of what I had. Sora didn't even suffer much in his life like I did.

I looked up to Kairi as I felt Tifa wind one of her arm around mine.

"I lost five years of my life, in a coma while being experimented on in a lab. My best friend saved me after four years but I couldn't move or talk. I'd lost my mom just before I was put into a coma, a fire that killed my entire hometown. But when we got out of the building we were in the town looked normal, like nothing happened. Zack carried me for almost a year until we reached Midgar outskirts. The army caught up to us, Zack paid the price for my freedom. I lost another year being messed up in the head. I thought I was Zack. Then I was being controlled by Sephiroth." I told her coldly. I followed Kairi's gaze as she looked to Sora briefly who was arguing with a guy who had a soda. I ignored Sora for a minute, I tuned back to Kairi who turned back to me to only to look to Tifa.

"Cloud..." She said slowly looking at me with the apology in her eyes. I looked to the floor but continued speaking.

"After everything I did I then managed to contract a disease that was basically a slow death with no cure or remedy. Mostly children got it but it was caught by anyone who had been touched by the infected Lifestream. I tried so hard in life and I knew better than anyone there was no cure, I was looking for a cure to treat Denzel. After a month or two, I accepted it, I became distant from my family started sleeping in the church and letting my phone ring out. I thought if I died I could be with Zack and Aerith again, my dead friends. But then I realised what I would lose and well, I survived in the end." I looked at Kairi with a small smile in apology for the rant she smiled back slightly in acceptance.

"What I'm trying to say is, I lost five years in a chemical induced coma, one year thinking I was someone else and two years isolating myself from the world. Sora lost two years peacefully. I had to grow up so quickly. When I woke up after five years I forgot I wasn't fifteen anymore. It was hard to grow up so much in so little time. Sora wasn't forced to grow up, he'll be fine." I told Kairi looking up at her with now loosened fists and a calm expression.

"I... Understand. I'm sorry for your loss, Cloud." Kairi told me she checked on Sora again with her eyes he was walking back with extra popcorn. Kairi took two of the tickets out of my hands silently and walked over to Sora. When he smiled at her she smiled back before Kairi looked at me. Kairi said something to Sora and he looked at me too. I felt Tifa hold onto my arm tighter as Sora nodded at me with a solemn expression from whatever Kairi had just said.

"Cloud." Tifa said softly. I looked over to her and she smiled at me lovingly

"I'm fine." I told her pulling her to face me. I smiled at her before taking her hand and following Sora and Kairi into the screen in the cinema. I saw Sora waving at us happily from the back as soon as we got through the doors. I started walking towards them but noticed Tifa wasn't walking.

"Teef?" I asked looked back at Tifa to see her looking off into the one side of the room. I followed her gaze to see two brunettes, a girl and a guy. I looked back to Tifa, her eyes were still fixed on the pair. I looked again to see the girl turn to the boy and smile.

"Hey, is that...?" I started looking over to the pair Tifa quickly shushed me quickly by putting a hand over my mouth before I could say anything.

"Shush! They'll hear you!" she told me with a small snicker as Denzel turned and almost saw us. I let out a small chuckle as Tifa ducked as if trying to hide from the two teenagers.

"Quick! We need to hide!" I teased Tifa taking her hand and making my way to the two seats saved for us by Sora and Kairi. Tifa let out a small laugh as we sat down making Kairi and Sora look at her.

"What?" Sora asked.

"See those kids over there?" I said pointing to Marlene and Denzel who were now laughing at something on Marlene's phone. I saw Sora raise an eyebrow at the kids before looking back to me.

"What about them?" Kairi asked quietly almost as if the kids would hear us.

"Well, the boy is Cloud's adopted son." Tifa told them seeing the look on my face as I was about to protest, he wasn't just _my _son. He was hers too, she looked after him more. "Ok, Cloud." Tifa said rolling her eyes at me before turning back to Sora. "_Our _adopted son. And the girl is our friend's daughter. She lived with us for a few years as I told you before." She told them smiling. I looked over again to the two.

"Stop looking!" Tifa scolded me pulling my face around using her hands on my cheeks so I was facing her instead of the children. I looked into her eyes for a minute before leaning in and pecking her on the lips. Just then the room got dark as the movie started.

The movie was ok, it was a musical type Disney film, not what I would usually want to watch but Tifa wanted to go, so I came. I was glad when Tifa grabbed my hand just as the movie started holding on the top of the one arm rest. Her fingers intertwined around mine as she hummed along to one of the songs. I looked over and moved to put an arm around Tifa. She instantly moved so she was leaning her head on my shoulder. I moved to hold her other hand and watched as Tifa smiled.

I looked over to Sora and Kairi who were snuggled up together despite the arm rest between them. Kairi had her arms wound around one of Sora's arms while her head flopped back onto the back of the seat. I looked back to the screen as a new figure came onto the screen.

"Hey Jack!" the figure called as he walked into the lab where the main character, Jack Skellington, was talking to The Doctor about how to make the bone reindeer. The first to walk into the room was a boy with spiky brown hair and black clothes. He wore big white gloves and red ribbon wrapped around his black socks that led into his black and white shoes. He had fangs and only one of his bright blue eyes shown under the mask that covered half his face. he had black wings on his back.

The next in was a duck with unwinding bandages and black rimmed eyes before a dog with a screw going into his head. I looked closer to the boy in the film and then looked to Sora.

"HEY! You're in the film?" I whisper-shouted looking at Sora. He looked back at me and tapped a finger to his chin for a minute.

"guess they were filming when we were in Halloween Town." Sora said with a shrug. "I'll bet the heartless will be on next." He told me pointing at the screen. We all fixed our eyes to the screen looking for anything that resembled a Heartless in any way. For the rest of the film we saw only a little of Sora but no Heartless. I looked to Sora again as the credits rolled.

"Must've been not relevant to the story." He said closing his eyes and shrugging again as the lights came up.

We waited for Marlene and Denzel to exit the cinema room before we left ourselves, We didn't want them to see us. Out in the lobby we spotted them again. Marlene held onto Denzel's hand and quickly reached up on her tip toes to kiss the young boy on the cheek before they both giggled and walked out of the cinema into the cold night air.

"They were definitely on a date date..." I muttered to myself as Tifa pulled me out of the lobby after Sora and Kairi. She rolled her eyes at me.

"Stop being an overprotective father." She told me as she pulled me along. I just gave her a small smile as I walked back to the bar hand in hand with her while Sora and Kairi led the way. I'm glad they remembered the way; I didn't feel like leading them home tonight.

"Hey! Cloud! When does your kid get home?" Sora asked as we entered the house.

"Next week, he was spending some time with Marlene and Barrett." I told him walking the fridge and pulling out a coke. I threw it at Sora before pulling out another for myself and Tifa. I turned back to Kairi after putting the two cans down. "Want one?" I asked watching as she shook her head.

Sora just nodded and looked around the room rocking on his heels as he opened his coke. I guess I shouldn't have thrown it; it fizzed up and sprayed coke all over his hands and face. I let out a small laugh as Sora cocked one eye open. He licked his lips before looking at me. "I'm all sticky!" he exclaimed throwing his arms out to the sides. I let out a small chuckle as I watched the foam from the coke drip off his face.

"Nothing gets by you Sora." Tifa told him rolling her eyes at the childish antics.


	7. Home Sweet Damn Dog!

**Ok so, as far as Denzel's age is concerned I'm pretty sure I made a lot of errors making him different ages at different times so I'm just going to clear this up now that I've got my head around it. In the start of Clouded Haze Denzel is about 10 and by the epilogue his about 11. In this story he's 11. Hope that helped. Sorry for the confusion. It confused me too.**

**Oh and i9 had no reviews for the last chapter, either thats because I got this one up fast or nobody new is reading so... tell your friends about my not-so-awesome awesome story! And... Review please? *puppy face* it keeps me happy and wanting to write and not thinking sod ya all. **

**I don't think I described Prowler much and since I'm really bad at describing I thought I'd give you a breed. He's a black Serbian Husky. Hope this helps.**

**Now I'll start for real this time.**

Wdtl c7- Home Sweet... Damn Dog!

(Tifa POV)

It had been a week since Kairi and Sora arrived and they were driving Cloud nuts. But then again, Sora was also driving me nuts so I couldn't exactly blame Cloud for blowing up in his face yesterday. Sora had eaten all the Cinnamon Swirl cereal and it was the only thing that kept Cloud awake in the morning... so now Cloud had switched to the alternative of Golden Nuggets or Sugar Puffs with a cup of coffee with sugar in. How he eats all the sugar he does and isn't bouncing off the walls like Yuffie I'll never know...

I watched Cloud stir in his sleep turning to rest on one side then the other. He was normally so peaceful when he was asleep but last night he kept muttering stuff about the dog. I rolled my eyes at the thought as I leaned over him. I knew Cloud really didn't like Prowler for some reason, maybe it was the first impression they got of each other. I giggled at the memory of Cloud first meeting Prowler. Maybe I shouldn't have let the dog pin Cloud to the wall but then again, Cloud was asking for it.

My hair draped over Cloud's bare chest as I brushed a kiss to his lips. By the look of his face my hair tickled Cloud slightly, just enough to make him jerk around due to his ticklish nature. I smiled before I pulled away from him, I found out he was ticklish when we were 10. I used to tease him about it all the time. I watched Cloud for a minute while he settled back down in his sleep muttering incoherently for me to stop tickling him before the 'Dorky Face' floating feather duster-like things come and eat us for laughing.

I had to laugh at that.

"Wake up sleepy head." I whispered into Cloud's ear watching him stir. He quickly threw an arm over his eyes shielding them from the light in the room. I resisted the urge to tease him about 'the 'Dorky Face' floating feather duster-like things that were coming to eat us' and just pushing on his body slowly trying to shake him awake. Cloud let out a groan and attempted to swat at me with the hand not over his eyes. I giggled at the gesture.

"Is Sephiroth alive again?" he grumbled eyes still closed and body still relaxed in sleep.

"No..." I answered with a giggle unsure of his ulterior motive for the question.

"Are the remnants about to attack the bar?" he asked quickly cracking one eye open under his arm.

"No..." I said again more confused this time. I started looking at him suspiciously. Watching as his eye darted around my face.

"Is the baby coming?" He asked almost as if he was checking off an invisible checklist. I shook my head no and gave him a look that said 'You will KNOW when that is' I watched Cloud who was looking at me with both his eyes now but only for a minute before turning over and pulling a pillow over his head.

"Then let me sleep!" Cloud whined not pulling his head out from under the pillow.

"Nooo!" I whined getting on Cloud's back and lightly banging my fists against his back. Cloud groaned finally realising the fact I wasn't gonna let him sleep. I remembered the last time he did this, 2 weeks ago, the day before he had to go and collect Sora and Kairi. Suddenly, Cloud flipped over underneath me so he was facing the ceiling once again. I realised I was now sitting on his stomach. I always wonder how he manages to move under me without even jostling me once but I shrugged it off as I realised Cloud had his arm over his eyes again as if the light was stinging them.

"Your pregnant belly is crushing me!" Cloud muttered out trying to push me to the side. I didn't budge and instead leaned forward so I crushed into him more. I saw his eyes zero on me under his arm. Now I just have to get the arm away before he can go back to sleep!

I grabbed his arm trying to pull it from his eyes but Cloud was stronger than me and his arm held fast in place no matter how much I pulled. I heard Cloud groan again as if telling me to leave him alone but I wouldn't, he needed to wake up so we could go get Denzel.

Besides, if he didn't get up now he would miss breakfast and I wasn't making him anymore if Sora ate it all. Which we all knew he would, Sora had quite an appetite when it came to blueberry waffles and syrup.

"You know that could be mistaken for something you wouldn't want your kid walking in on." Sora said standing in the doorway to our room. I looked at him with wide eyes and a dropped jaw. Didn't he know how to knock? I watched as he stood slouched over in the doorway. He had a smirk n his face that said 'I know what I was interrupting' even if he didn't. I was frozen in surprise at his boldness and soon I felt Cloud push me off carefully before sitting up and crossing his arms to face Sora.

"Close your mouth, you'll catch flies." Kairi told me as she walked past the room in a pair of purple tank and shorts pyjamas. I didn't even realise it was still open. I closed my mouth and instead just scowled at Sora.

"Don't you know how to knock?" Cloud asked no making a move to get out of bed.

"Door was open." Sora replied with a shrug.

"That doesn't mean you have to walk in." I muttered folding my arms over my chest. I turned my head and looked over to Cloud who still sat next to me. I watched as he got out of the bed and walked over to the door where Sora was. I wondered if Cloud was going to slam the door in his face or walk past him or something but he just stood there for a minute. I watched the two as they tried to stare each other down eventually Cloud just moved out of the door and down the hall to the bathroom.

"Hey!" I shouted to Sora as he stood in the door. I was trying to will him to leave with my eyes. I thought of the saying if looks could kill for a minute.

"I'm leaving! I'm leaving!" Sora told me backing out of the door with his hands up. I looked to the clock quickly while he was backing away it was eleven, time to go get Denzel. I looked down on myself realising I wasn't going anywhere in the clothes I was wearing; my blue cami and white shorts. Not exactly the type of clothes you wore to pick up your eleven year old...

"Sora! Make yourself useful!" I called catching the spiky haired brunettes attention. He looked at me stopping his backing away with a smile on his face. I picked the car keys off the bedside table, I don't know why they were there from last night, maybe when we came in I just forgot to put them on the hook in the kitchen, we were all tired.

I guess that's what I get for opening the bar while Cloud was out working until twelve. Sora had gotten drunk trying to 'look out for me' by sitting at the bar while Kairi had gotten a twenty four hour flu bug and had to stay in bed all day. I called Kai over to help me, but he was going out with his girlfriend, Bethan, and she didn't like hanging out at the bar for hours on end.

I'd made a lot in tips and business was busy tonight seeing as I hadn't been open for a few weeks because Cloud thought it was 'inappropriate' for a pregnant woman to be selling alcohol. Anyway, Sora was the biggest lightweight I'd ever had as a barfly. He had one beer and was almost flat out drunk.

Next time I'll just have Kairi spewing over the bar instead of Sora being drunk and scaring off customers with 'The many adventures of Sora' tales. Nobody believed him, luckily. I know he wasn't supposed to tell anyone about the other worlds that didn't know, I know because I got that lecture off Merlin.

'_Tifa, you may have searched far and wide for the young man but you can't just go spreading it around... right well... no! That's right you can't! Leon and Yuffie here have seen their fair share of worlds and they haven't told a soul. That's right! Not one! Well... Except me, oh and Sora! And Donald, Goofy, Aerith, Cid... but then again Cid was driving. Oh but now I've lost my train of thought, what was I saying? Oh yes! You can't tell anyone about the other worlds. Why? Well, because it may upset the balance of things. I think... yes! It would!' _

Jeez, that old man could ramble for that world in a competition! I only went in to ask Yuffie if she had seen Cloud and I got a lecture!

"What do you want me to do Tifa? I wanna know before you space out completely." Sora said drumming his fingers on one of his folded arms. I glared at him. I wasn't spacing, just remembering the old times! I grumbled my instructions to him

"What?" Sora asked cupping a hand over his ear.

"_I said:_ Go make yourself useful and get Denzel from Barrett's. He'll be waiting for you to pick him up. And if Barrett or Cid say anything to you just say I sent you, they should back off... _should._ Oh and take Kairi." I told him smirking at the thought of being alone in the house with Cloud.

"Yeah, yeah, you just want me out of the house so you can make out with Cloud." He said with his own smirk before walking over to his and Kairi's room and walking in without waiting for an answer from me. I stood with my mouth open staring after him.

"Close your mouth you'll catch-"

"Flies. I got it." Said turning to look at Cloud who was smirking at me after what he thought was a joke. I rolled my eyes and walked up to him. He was still only in his pyjama bottoms. I felt his arms encircle my waist and pull me closer to him. I pulled my hands up and pressed then against his chest. I wasn't trying to push him away; I just wanted to feel his chest as it moved while he breathed. I felt my hand gravitate to the X over to the side of his heart. I stroked a finger over it tracing the lines carefully making X's over the top of the scar.

I felt Cloud's eyes on my but I didn't look up at him; I just looked at the scar I was tracing thinking of all the things Cloud had to suffer and live through. I remembered when we were kids and everyone picked on him, I always felt kinda sorry for him, I wanted to be his friend but I didn't want to get lift out. Now that I think about it I feel selfish...

"Tifa...?" Cloud murmured slowly in a low voice. He used one of his hands to gently pull my face up so I was looking at him. We stared into each other's eyes for a minute before we both inched closer in perfect sync.

"Jesus! We were just leaving do! Can't you wait until we're gone?" Sora asked angrily sighing and brushing his hair out of his eyes before storming down the stairs. I stopped Kairi on her way to follow him

"Kai?" I said moving around in Cloud's arms to put a hand on her shoulder. Cloud didn't let go of his hold on my waist as I turned to face her.

"Yeah?" she replied looking into my eyes while she was stopped at the top of the stairs.

"Can you calm him?"

"Easy." Kairi told me with a nod and a smile. I liked Kairi, she was kind and calm. It was a bit like being around Cloud when I was around her, often she would enjoy silence if you didn't want to talk.

"Do it. Make him calm, please." Cloud inserted into the conversation making both our heads turn to him.

"Got it." She told us winking to me before moving down the stairs. My hand fell away from her arm like a leaf in the wind while Cloud pulled me into a tight hug.

"Hey." I said softly as I wrapped my arms around Cloud's neck. He smiled at me, something that was becoming a more regular occurrence as the week went on. Cloud seemed happier to be in one place, in his home.

"I love you." Cloud whispered into my year before pulling my face to his. His forehead rested against mine and our breaths mingled together until I was breathing in a mix of peppermint and pancake flavours from the air.

"I love you too." I replied before Cloud moved closer covering my lips with his own. I felt Cloud's tongue against my lips and smiled opening my mouth to allow his tongue to slip inside.

After a little while I broke away.

"There are many reasons I'm now going to walk away." I told Cloud still tightly wrapped in his arms.

"Name three." Cloud challenged me narrowing his eyes at me as if trying to say 'I dare you'

"One, we need to eat breakfast. Two, Sora, Kairi and Denzel will be back soon and if Sora walks in to us kissing I think he will spontaneously combust. Three, I need to get Prowler's kennel ready because you hate having him inside four..."

"There's more?" Cloud interrupted raising an eyebrow at me as I looked up at him

"Yes. We need to make room for Denzel somewhere."

"He can sleep in Sora's bed and Sora can sleep on the couch. Problem solved" Cloud shrugged as if it was an easy solution. In his eyes it was the easiest and quickest. Save kicking Sora out.

"Cloud!" I scolded him scowling and pulling away to fold my arms over my chest.

"Fine. Sorry Denz but looks like Tifa wants to be hospitable to the annoying guest and is gonna put you on the couch. I defended your case buddy, honest to god, but I can't deal with pregnant hormonal Tifa." Cloud told the air. He was looking away from me almost as if he was trying to contact Denzel to talk to him. I rolled my eyes and walked over to hug Cloud from behind.

"I know! Denzel can have your bed." I told Cloud looking up at him as he turned his head to look at me.

"Like hell he can." He muttered before turning and once again pressing his lips to mine, this time with more force.

"Couch it is." I said breathlessly as I pulled away from him.

Denzel arrived home half an hour after I made up a bed for him in the living room. It was the blankets we used whenever we had a 'family' movie night. Denzel would wrap himself in multiple blankets while Cloud and I sat with one covering up to our waists as we sat together.

I think Cloud had forgotten that when Denzel gets back, so does Prowler. When the dog ploughed through the room Cloud let out a groan and let all his limbs fall limp as he sat in the chair opposite me at the table. I laughed as he moved his cereal bowl before slamming his head down on the table.

I watched as Prowler came up to Cloud and ripped off one of his socks before trotting away happily with his head held high and Cloud's sock in his mouth like a well earned prize.

"Aww poor Cloud." I said patting his blonde Chocobo head before hearing him mutter something under his breath.

"What was that? I didn't quite hear?" I said in a joking tone.

"I said the dog needs to get over his obsession with taking my clothing for bedding." Cloud told me lifting his head to weakly smile at Denzel as he entered the room. I watched Denzel look Cloud up and down before noticing his missing sock and laughing.

"Prowler already gone to bed then. Right, Cloud?" Denzel asked smiling as he watching his hero's expression. Cloud scowled at the floor before he marched up the stairs, most likely to get a new sock.

"Aww, Denz, leave him alone. He's moody today." I said smirking as I heard the faint reply of 'I heard that!' from upstairs. Denzel snickered at Cloud before he moved towards me and I ruffled his hair playfully getting another laugh out of him. After a little while Denzel hugged me before he walked into the garden. I heard his call of 'Prowler! Can I have that sock off you?' before a growl and a bark.

I knew it was a total loss for the sock when Denzel muttered 'Oh so _that's _what you do with the clothes...' but being me, I was curious and decided to check out what Denzel was talking about. I moved carefully to the door hearing the noises as my bare feet hit the wooden floor of the kitchen. I made my way to the sliding glass door and looked out seeing Prowler in his kennel with bedding of shredded clothes.

I snickered as I noticed all the clothes were Cloud's. Maybe that's why Prowler didn't attack him. I smiled again as I pulled the bag of dog biscuits out of the kitchen ready to feed Prowler. He barked madly and started running around in circles while looking at me with his wolfy grin.

"Down boy!" I laughed as he almost knocked his food bowl out of my hand. The bowl was a metal silver dish with 'Prowler' scratched on the side with a sharp rock Denzel had found. I poured the bowl for Prowler watching as he wolfed down the food like he hadn't eaten in weeks.

"Wasn't Barrett feeding you?" I asked the dog rubbing behind his ears while his head was bent eating. I knew he had to have eaten; Denzel would've fed him if Barrett or Cid didn't. Prowler let out a small yip as if trying to say he hadn't eaten I smiled at him while he still had his head bent.

"We both know you have eaten and we both know you just want extra food." I told the dog getting a small bark in reply. I laughed at the silly animal rubbing behind Prowler's ears and then tweaking his puffy black and white tail. Prowler looked back to me with a goofier wolfy smile on his face than usual with his tongue lolling out. I smiled at the dog before patting his back and standing up straight.

"Hey! Tifa!" Denzel called from inside. He must've walked past me when I went out to feed Prowler.

"Yeah?" I called back walking into the house only to have Prowler try to follow me. I stopped him and crouched to his lever. Prowler sat and placed one of his front legs on one of my knees while giving me the kicked puppy look.

"You know Cloud doesn't like you in the house..." I told him but he started making cute little whining noises. I sighed "fine. Just don't go rip up any of Mr. moody pants clothes!" I sure hope the dog listened to me. Prowler gave a bark before he disappeared into the house.

"What is it Denzel?" I asked walking up into the kitchen where I could hear the boy. When I got up to the kitchen I noticed Denzel admiring some flowers that Cloud had bought me last week. I smiled as I watched him sniff the silky orange flowers.

"Cloud got those." I told him as I walked in and leaned back against the worktop. I saw Denzel jump at the sound of my voice and turn quickly as if scared.

"What's up then?" I asked him Denzel looked a bit tense, maybe even a bit nervous.

"Um... well, me and Marlene are kinda dating and I... well I want to get her something nice." Denzel told me hesitantly. I tried to act surprised; he obviously thought we didn't know.

"That's really sweet Denzel!" I said smiling at the boy. "Just... don't tell Cloud." I added turning around to look into the fridge to distract myself. I was trying to think about what we could have for lunch. At the minute it looked like takeout due to our lack of anything good in the fridge

"Why?" Denzel asked. I looked over to see his eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"He's moody."

"Why?"

"I think it's because of Sora being too happy all the time." I told him in a hushed voice I knew that Sora and Kairi were in the room next to us. I saw Denzel silently mouth 'oh' before his mind returned to the current conversation.

"So... what do you think I should get her?" he asked looking at his now all so interesting fingers instead of me. Maybe he was embarrassed. I smiled at Denzel before walking over and placing a hand on his shoulder. He was almost as tall as me now, meaning also almost taller than Cloud.

"Well, what do you think she would like?" I asked ruffling his hair again before moving to look in the cupboards.

"Um... flowers? Maybe chocolate? Oh maybe a new ribbon for her hair!" Denzel said suddenly excited and happy to have come up with the ideas on his own. I turned my head to smile at him.

"hey, you go down the market if you want I'll call Barrett and see if Marlene wants to come over later so you two can hang out." I said smiling. Denzel's mouth curled up so high I thought his lips would rip. His genuine smile was all I got before he nodded and ran to his room before running out the front door.

I smiled at his antics shaking my head before wandering into the living room where I saw Sora and Kairi sitting watching a movie.

"Cloud's still in your room." Kairi told me without taking her eyes off the screen. I smiled and nodded at her before walking up to deal with my moody boyfriend.

**I think this may be the longest chapter I've ever written. Hope you liked it. Please review! Also I'm gonna need so ideas for baby names. I'm the kind of person who isn't good with names. Like, AT ALL. I'd appreciate it!**


	8. Prowler Strikes Again!

**Hey R.Y.N.O! Good to hear from ya! As for the names I think I have one but I'm not sure what I'm gonna do at the end. I mean, I have a very vague plan so I know it's around 5 chapters and the epilogue to go.**

**I repeat 5 chapters and the epi! ...maybe 6...**

**Lol ok on with the chapter!**

Wdtl c8- Prowler Strikes Again!

(Kairi POV)

Tonight we were staying in with a takeout for dinner. It was storming pretty badly outside and Prowler was off prowling around the house after Tifa –after too much ignored protesting from Cloud- had let the dog inside. Not that she hadn't already told him he could come in; I heard her little bargain with the dog earlier.

Cloud and Tifa's son Denzel had invited a friend round for dinner. Her name was Marlene. Tifa and Cloud had both seemed happy that the young girl was coming over but nobody seemed as happy as Denzel. I couldn't tell if Tifa or Cloud knew but I'm a good judge of character and I'm good at reading emotions. From the way Denzel was acting I could tell Marlene was special to him

When he talked .about her when I asked his smile lit up the room we were in and his eyes sparkled. At the mention of her name in a conversation between Cloud and Tifa I watched as his eyes sparkled at the thought of her. At times today I had caught him with a dreamy look on his face, lost in fantasies in his head.

I loved it when people were happy.

Speaking of happy, Cloud had cheered up considerably from this morning. Maybe it was because of the time he spent alone with Tifa while we went to get Marlene with Denzel or maybe it was because Tifa and I had gone to the store after Sora ate all the cereal in the house –and I mean all of it. Even the Sugar Puffs, Golden Nuggets, Count Chocula and Lucky Charms. Tifa told me that Cloud only got up in the morning after a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee. I found it funny that someone like him had so much sugar but someone like Yuffie had no sugar and was often bouncing off the walls.

I know she had no sugar because while I was staying with her and Leon in the hotel room in Traverse Town we always had breakfast together at 'The Hatters Tea Room' and all she would have would be a bagel with butter, nothing else.

Speaking of Yuffie she had also invited herself for dinner... Poor Tifa...

We were sitting in the living room now. Tifa had ordered 2 large pizza's one pepperoni and another Hawaiian – ham and pineapple. Tifa, Marlene and Sora were eating the Hawaiian while Cloud and I ate the pepperoni and Yuffie ate some leftover stir fry that she had found in the fridge. I watched everyone around me as they talked and argued. Marlene and Denzel sat on the floor resting against an armchair. They were holding hands sneakily almost as if they didn't want Cloud to see but anyone else could.

I bet they didn't know we saw them at the cinema the other day. I smiled at the thought as I saw Denzel whisper into Marlene's ear causing them both to look to Tifa and then Cloud before letting out a giggle.

Sora was sitting next to me being completely quiet for once. I had a feeling it had something to do with the food in his hand. I knew Sora and when it came to food nothing else mattered, not even talking. Besides, if he did talk then it would get messy and I've lectured him many times about keeping the food in his mouth and not over my clean floor.

Tifa was sitting watching the arguments unfolding in the room. She sat cross legged with her back against the coffee table that balanced seven cups of cola on the top. She was happy to listen to the arguments probably because the arguing came from Cloud and Yuffie. the two argued like the Capulets and the Montagues but without the guns and the kids.

Cloud was sitting next to Tifa with one hand over hers as they both hovered on Tifa's very large stomach. I wondered when she was due. It couldn't be long... my mind thought back to when Sora first called... eight months ago. I wonder if she was pregnant then and if so how far along was she? It couldn't be long now until the baby was born.

I was bought out of my thoughts by Yuffie and her high pitched childish voice as she screeched at Cloud.

"I totally knew!" she insisted leaning forward on her chair with her food on her lap and her fork slipping down inside the plastic container box.

"You wouldn't've found out until last month if you hadn't seen her and the store and snooped to Barrett for information!" Cloud insisted folding his arms while Tifa just watched the banter. Her head turned from person to person as if she was watching an interesting tennis game. I could tell by the look in her eyes she wanted to shove a pizza slice in Cloud's mouth to shut him up. Heck, I wanted to shove a fork full of stir fry in Yuffie's mouth; she was giving me a headache.

"For your information, Spike! I knew anyway! My heightened ninja senses told me." Yuffie replied mirroring Cloud by folding her arms. Only Yuffie, being Yuffie stuck her tongue out at Cloud childishly before turning her face away and closing her eyes in a 'sulky kid' position.

"What ninja senses? You're just a bratty kid who likes to steal Materia form any guy in a SOLDIER uniform!" Cloud informed her narrowing his eyes before grabbing another slice of his pizza and taking a forceful bite.

"Hey! I only pit pocketed you and that guy with the black spiky hair and 'X Marks The Spot' scar!" Yuffie defended taking another forkful of the stir fry as if in fear of being kicked out. Tifa raised an eyebrow from her space. She moved and crossed her arms while looking directly at Yuffie. I knew she was wondering about if she was telling the truth while I furrowed my eyebrows at the description. who describes anyone by their scars?

"You stole Materia from Zack? Zack Fair? Ex-SOLDIER First Class slash Ex- science experiment to Hojo slash my dead best friend?" Cloud asked sceptically re-folding his arms and raising an eyebrow at Yuffie.

"No... I just made him go on missions for me when I was eight! Then I took the treasure! But let me tell you that treasure was really crap! I got Shinra porn one time! Why would anyone want that?" everyone just stared at Yuffie now. All conversation had stopped and she was the centre of attention. It was almost as if she was trying to get sympathy for stealing the Shinra porn. I don't think anyone was sympathetic. She was the one who stole it after all.

"Stupid brat." Cloud muttered going back to his pizza. H e took another bite and gulped it down before loking back to the now steaming Yuffie. Cloud raised an eyebrow at her before Yuffie exploded.

"HEY! Shut up Chocobo head! I am princess Yuffie of Wutai!I am the champion of the earth and the sky. I am the conqueror of evil. The single white rose of Wutai." I winced at her ear piercing voice before looking over to see Cloud's reaction. I watched as Cloud mouthed the speech as Yuffie said it. She obviously gave him this lecture before. "I had every right to take that Shinra stuff! Especially after you started that war with us!" Yuffie protested turning on the tall bar stool she had dragged from the kitchen so she was facing away from everyone in the room. I watched as Cloud turned to Tifa and shrugged.

I looked over to the young children who had gone quiet due to the abrupt silence to the fighting between Yuffie and Cloud. They looked around the room for a minute before their gazes stopped on me. Most likely because I was trying to work out what they were feeling.

"Hmm... Denzel?" I asked the boy.

"Yes, Kairi?" Denzel replied looking up to me with a wide toothy grin.

"Have you seen the film 'The Nightmare Before Christmas?' I asked the young boy while taking a slice of pizza. It was my third slice of pepperoni, one more and I'd be finished with pizza for the night. I knew my limit, unlike Sora who was already on slice 5.

"Yeah!" Denzel told me happily with a smile and a nod. "Me and Marlene went to see it last week! Sora was in the movie!" He told me pointing to my boyfriend who sat beside me. I saw Sora smile slightly and scratch the back of his head awkwardly. I knew he hated it when he got into these things. Like when we were at home and there was a film called Winnie The Pooh and he had taken the role of the kid in the book 'Christopher Robin'. From then on Wakka and Tidus called him Christopher just to annoy him.

"Really? I saw that last week too, we dropped the dog over at Barrett's house and went to watch it." I told them with a smirk. Denzel's smile drooped as he looked around the room. I watched him swallow at the thought of everyone seeing them at the cinema. I followed his gaze to see nobody but Sora as listening to the conversation.

Tifa and Cloud were staring into each other's eyes while Cloud gently caressed her cheek both were content just staring at each other – either that or they had made a pact not to kiss in front of Sora incase he blew up in their faces. Yuffie was rapidly eating away at her stir fry as if she was worried Cloud would kick her out for arguing. She was still turned away from us so nobody could see if she was watching us or not.

"It'll be our little secret that you know, ok?" I told Denzel quietly winking at the boy as he beamed back. I looked over to Marlene to notice she was looking around the room, up the stairs before moving to look down the hall.

"What is it Mar?" Denzel asked as he noticed the girl's actions. I picked up my last piece of pizza noticing there was three pieces left if Cloud wanted them. I looked up and watched as he broke his gaze away from Tifa to pick up another slice of pizza. He caught me looking at him and sent a weak smile my way. I smiled back before noticing Tifa looking at me.

"Hey Teef? When's the baby due?" I asked her. I didn't even know why I asked I guess it was always on the back of my mind.

"Well the doctor gave me a date for-"

"LOOKOUT!" Marlene screamed as Prowler bounded into the room with one of Cloud's shirts in his mouth. I let out a gasp of surprise as he ran in then out again causing a path of destruction, confusion and muddy footprints in his wake.

First he had run past Yuffie knocking her off her perch causing her to scream as she hit the cold wooden floor. Yuffie was still moaning now about her injured pride and butt while she got up and stood the chair back up. The stir fry she had been eaten had gone 'splat!' on the floor while the metal fork had skidded off in the direction of the window after the dog had caught it with his paw as he scrambled in.

Sora and I were fine- the dog had just ran past us trampling in both the pizza boxes. He'd taken the rest of the pepperoni and left the Hawaiian with only a muddy footprint on one slice which was quickly separated and thrown away by a very angry Tifa. Cloud was staring at the spot where the pizza had been in his now very muddy jeans and shirt.

Marlene and Denzel were laughing but each looked a little shaken up. Marlene had muddy paw prints all over her white skirt and Denzel had mud on his face from where Prowler had stopped and shook the mud off himself.

"Tifa, I'm starting to think that dog is Zack's spirit." Cloud said wiping some mud off his face –from Prowler's shaking- and wiping it on his already messy shirt.

"Why do you say that, Cloud?" Tifa said forgetting the conversation we were having beforehand.

"He likes to annoy me, he takes my stuff, he's energetic, he understands _everything,_ and he's always for friendly around girls like he's trying to flirt." Cloud held up a finger with each point as if emphasising each one. I stood watching as Tifa smiled wider and let out a small laugh.

"So you're gonna start calling the dog Zack?" she asked playfully. I smiled at the joke that i knew she was implying. She was going along with the thought that the dog could have his friends spirit. I knew he couldnt be; people die and go to Heaven... Or Hell depending on who you are. He couldnt be Cloud's friend... Could he?

"Only if he replies to it." Cloud told her seriously with a nod. "And I'll only let him stay if he comes back with that pepperoni pizza!" Cloud shouted in a louder voice picking up the shirt Prowler had dropped in his attempt to get the pizza. I heard a bark from the dog that could almost pass as a dog's laugh. I felt confused.

"Cloud, what was Zack's favourite pizza?" Denzel asked standing up like everyone else and walking over to tug on the muddy end of Cloud's sleeve.

"Ham and pineapple." He answered looking down at Denzel. Denzel opened his mouth to speak but Cloud –knowing what he was thinking- beat him to it. "Back in Neibelheim I took him to my mom's house and she was making pizza. She asked our favourites and Zack's was ham and pineapple. When I said mine was pepperoni –which mom already knew – Zack joked he would one day take my pepperoni pizza and run around the streets with it." Cloud told him with a smirk.

"Why?" Sora asked obviously intrigued by the workings of Cloud's friend.

"Something about the homeless eating it so i couldn't." Cloud answered walking past Sora with a light smile on his face.

"So where's the dog?" I asked looking out into the hall to hear scratching noises from the front door by the bar.

"Unbelievable..." Cloud muttered putting a hand on his forehead. "It _is _Zack!" He called before walking to the bar. Tifa followed while the rest of us just sat in the living room. We all sat in awkward silence before we heard 'DAMMIT STUPID DOG!' from Cloud and a bang. I hoped Tifa wasn't doing anything strenuous.

"So..." Sora started hoping to ease some of the tension and dull the noises from downstairs "Did anyone watch the football last night?"

I rolled my eyes just like everyone else did.


	9. Sally, Doris, Bob and William!

Chapter 9- Sally, Doris, Bob and William!

**Hi everyone how's it going?**

**before I introduce the chapter I want to take a momen to wonder what happened to the 300 people who read chapter 1 but not chapter 8... it's weird, I lost like, loads of readers or something aand now I get no reviews so its like quiet in my inbox, now onto the story!**

**This is a second attempt at this chapter since I had it all written out then my computer shut down making me loose a whole finished chapter of this story and a whole other story I had just started work on so sorry if it's bad.**

**Just a quick chapter before I go out I know the ending is rushed, I had just been called to say my ride was on the way so I had to finish it quickly. I'll try and do another for tomorrow or Sunday, until then Happy Easter! **

I massaged my arm lightly. _Stupid dog..._ I thought as I remembered Prowler grabbing my forearm between his teeth 'playfully' as he tied to get the stupid pizza back. Then, Zack's spirit or not I shoved the stupid dog outside into his house- thing Tifa had set up. It was raining tonight and I could hear his whines of protest to being outside. _Be QUIET stupid mutt..._ I thought looking to the back door where Prowler was giving me the kicked puppy look Zack always used to.

"I'm not letting you in dog slash Prowler slash Zack slash - I REALLY DONT CARE ABOUT THE FACE!" I started talking but the dog gave me a more intense look which ended in me yelling at him and walking down into the bar grumbling all the way.

I passed a very drunk Sora on my way to my seat.

I really couldn't wait for Sora to leave. He was getting on my nerves with his happy demeanour and his little thing about us not kissing around him then he had this way of popping up any time we decide to be alone and lastly he really didn't listen to us... ever! Normally when you tell someone not to get too drunk they understand that you mean 'don't drink all of our bar stock' however Sora thought it meant 'sure, take the expensive bottle of drink that the Turks stated a scene if they didn't have.'

Luckily, no Turks entered the bar tonight or we would've been in it deep... not that I liked having Turks in the bar anyway and they knew I didn't like them being here.

Sora could pay for the new bottle of alcohol, I just decided.

Tifa stood behind the bar while I sat at one end refusing to be anywhere near a dunk Sora with his bottle in hand at the other end of the bar. The only person who was near to him was a regular that Sora had taken to calling 'Sally' even if that wasn't her name –which I didn't think it was- Sora was introducing her to anybody who walked past as 'his new friend Sally!'

It was funny to watch – not go near- Sora when he was drunk. The kid was a very... happy drunk, not like there was any surprise there. But he was the kind that spilled all his problems and stories to anyone closest to him while clutching that bottle of alcohol. Very amusing if you're a few feet away, especially when 'Sally' excused herself to go the bathroom about... half an hour ago and Sora was now talking to 'his new friend Doris' he sat there rambling about 'When I was on my first mission we all had to shower in a water fall with a monkey man!'

I sighed and rolled my eyes happily accepting a weak drink that Tifa had made me. I looked up to her giving a slight nod in thanks which she returned with a smile before looking over to where Sora sat now talking to 'Doris' and his newest friend who I hadn't hear the name of yet. She shook her head at the boy before looking to me.

"How old is Sora again?" she asked me raising an eyebrow at the boy who now had his arm around 'Doris' and another man who I could tell by his loud screams that Sora had named 'Bob'.

"Eighteen going on twelve." I told her taking a sip of the drink. Kairi came down from inside the apartment soon after we had both taken to watching drunk Sora and listen to his story about Alice and Wonderland.

"I put Denzel to bed. He was no trouble, straight to sleep." Kairi told us as she plonked down into a seat next to me. I looked over to the wall clock that we bought a long time ago, it said ten. I guess it was his bedtime.

"Thanks Kai!" Tifa said happily beaming at the girl opposite he at the bar. Kairi looked over to Sora who was now at the part in his journey that involved me; he was at the coliseum. He was loud enough to catch almost the attention of the whole bar.

"So when I first met Cloud he walked past me all badass looking over his shoulder while his cape blew out in the wind! Then he had a metal had too!" I heard Sora call loudly to the people next to him. I covered my ears with my hands to try not to hear his thoughts on first meeting me. I was being controlled by Hades at the time, I had no choice! _I swear_!

The two girls however were intent to hear all about what I was like when Sora first met him, it was when Tifa had been looking for me –as always- that he had found me and tried to meddle –just like I'm told he does to everything.

"I think Sora needs to stop telling that story." I grumbled ducking my head as I heard Sora's voice echoing in my ears. Both girls looked to me, giggled and turned back to Sora listening intently to what he had to say. I just groaned and buried my head deeper under my arms into the counter on the bar.

After a few minutes I was sure I would be over both girls were now rolling their eyes at Sora making me think that maybe he had finished his story of how he met me, maybe he was going somewhere else now. I lifted my hands from my ears and was immediately bombarded with the annoying sound of Sora's voice.

"So he lost because I'm far superior and then we got attacked by a giant dog! With one... two... three heads! And rabies! Ok, maybe not rabies but three heads that for sure! I ran but Cloudy got knocked out and had to get saved by Herc. While I fought and defeated the doggie for good!"

... Did he just call me _Cloudy?_ What the heck did they put in that dink? I looked to Tifa who was laughing silently behind her hand whether it was at Sora or his description of what was happening to me I'll never know... just when I wanted Sora to stop he kept talking, his annoying voice turning half the heads in the crowded bar. Tifa didn't have the radio on tonight so Sora was kinda like the radio, something for people to listen to.

"And THEN he got all Cloud-y on me and told me he was looking for someone. I'm not sure if it was Sephy or Teefie but he was looking for someone!" I heard him say in a slurred voice before swigging at his drink once again. I groaned realising that he had nicknamed both Sephiroth and Tifa with idiotic names.

"Did he just call me Teefie?" Tifa asked me with a raised eyebrow. I shook my head but she knew he had seeing as Sephiroth was also in the story he was telling.

"And I, being the great Sora, defeated Sephiroth! Twice!" Sora announced proudly grabbing another man around the neck as 'Doris' walked off saying she had to go home.

"What do you think of my story so far William?" Sora slurred into the face of the new man he had caught. It took the guy a minute to realise Sora had named him William.

"That little squirt only wore Sephiroth down, I defeated him... BOTH TIMES. Damn kid trying to steal my glory I've finished Sephiroth off-" I stopped as I counted in my head how many times I had killed the stupid idiot. The time when I was an infantryman and Zack couldn't finish him off because of his wounds, the time he came back, when that stupid remnant turned into him, at the coliseum, in Radiant Garden... yeah that it. "Five times!" I added to Tifa who was now giving me an amused smirk as I whined to her.

"Yes Cloud we all know you can kill Sephiroth multiple times, but Sora's drunk and besides this is how he remembers it. Does he ever get drunk at home Kai?" Tifa asked shifting so her attention was on Kairi and not me as she walked out from behind the bar and picked up all the empty glasses off one table and bringing them back to the sink behind the bar. I watched as she started washing them one by one.

"well he got it mostly right..." i butted in as Tifa started to dry the glasses. She rolled her eyes scowling at me to try to get me to shush before turning to Kairi and giving her a gesture asking her to speak

"No, I never let him near alcohol. His mom said he was drunk once when he was 16, when he had just came back from his second journey. She said he told her 'mom I've been through a lot and now I'm going to go through Dad's secret booze collection.' She said she was so shocked but he did what he said and he had a massive hangover the next day." Kairi finished with a giggle before she realised that Sora would have a massive hangover. She turned to Tifa almost pleading with her eyes but Tifa smiled sweetly and shook her head.

"Your guy your trouble, Kai." She said flinging the towel in her hands back so it wrapped itself over her shoulder as she finished drying the glasses.

"Speaking of Kai, are you gonna have him take over the bar until a month after the baby's born starting, now?" I asked looking up at Tifa who had started to put away the glasses she had been drying.

"Relax Cloud! He's coming over tomorrow night to take over until the baby is a month." She told me rolling her eyes in her little 'you worry too much' gesture.

"When's the baby due? You never got around to telling me the other day." Kairi asked looking first to Tifa's large stomach then to her smiling face.

"The doctor was very vague, two to three weeks I think he said." Tifa told her smiling. Just then we heard two simultaneous crashes.

One as Sora fell off his chair causing 'William and Bob' to fall over too. The second crash was as Prowler somehow managed to get into the house and crashed into the closed door at leading from the bar to the apartment.

"Stupid dog..." I muttered as I got up to open the door. Prowler was unconscious –just like Sora – and lying on the floor –also like Sora- I decided to leave them both where they were. Returning to my seat I took another sip of my drink and turned to the silent crowd in the bar.

"He'll be fine, always is." I told them turning round with a small smile as I heard the talk start up again.

**Not as much as I normally right but over the boundaries I set myself of 1000 words per chapter. It was something like 2150 words which I can live with for a short chapter. Anyway, tell me what you think! More Prowler? Less Prowler? I need ideas for chapters too, the plan I made was very vague. **

**xxxx**


	10. Damn don't drink so much!

Chapter 10- Damn don't drink so much!

**I'm writing this in ICT class. Well, attempting to. I keep putting on the internet to read a fan fiction or two… sorry it's late! It's the royal wedding on Friday so I'll probably post on Sunday or Monday cuz its bank holiday! And my last week at school **

**Ok, the AN above was the original from when I started writing this but class finished and I dint get another chance to write till today, 2 days after the royal wedding that I had to watch. Sorry!**

(Kairi pov)

"Are you sure you want to wait for him to wake up?" Tifa asked as she grabbed her phone and keys off the side in the kitchen. She had insisted she needed to make an urgent trip out. When asked where she just answered 'out.' She said she would call me later to tell me what she was doing. I hated the air of mystery Tifa had left the house with; it was almost like she didn't want me to know what she was doing.

"Like I have a choice, I'm not allowed to come with, remember?" I told Tifa half jokingly with a small smile on my face. Tifa returned my smile half heartedly before looking to the clock on the wall. It was one of those clocks shaped like a cat with the tail like a pendulum and the moving eyes that ticked on each second. I hated the freaky smile that graced its lips. It looked like a bad version of a clown.

"Kairi, I want to take you but... I can't, I'm sorry. I'll tell you about it later. And I promise I'll call you in a minute to tell you where I'm going. I mean, I think I might only go shopping but, you never know." Tifa added a nervous chuckle to the end of her sentence as she looked at me.

"It's okay." I told her softly looking up slowly to Tifa's face. Her expression looked worried almost anxious.

"I understand." I added smiling slightly to her. Tifa didn't smile back, she looked a little sad as she looked down on me. A soft sigh fell from Tifa's lips before she turned to the door almost as if trying to forget I was there. I stood still trying to help with her little illusion.

"You sound just like her." Tifa whispered softly to the door she rested her head against the cold oak structure closing her eyes in remembrance.

"Who?" I asked quietly putting a hand lightly on Tifa's shoulder. She sighed again softly. Tifa's hair slipped over her shoulder as she turned her head over her shoulder to me. a hand rested on the door fisted softly as if ready to knock the closed door she was about to leave through.

"Aerith." She breathed turning round finally to face me. I looked into her eyes and immediately remembered the girl in the pink dress I met in Traverse Town. I remembered how her brown hair would always cascade down her back in its perfect plait. She was always kind and always with Yuffie. It seemed they both came from this world.

"What... happened to her?" I asked. I knew she couldn't have been alive if she was talking about her like this. Something must've happened to the loved flower girl to make Tifa so sad.

"She was murdered... by Sephiroth." She whispered to me I saw the small tears forming in her eyes at the mention of the name I had only heard mentioned by Sora once. The name seemed to be a scornful word around here. If people heard that name they all turned as stared at the person who said it like they had 2 heads.

"Sephiroth?" I asked. I knew she probably didn't want to talk about it, but I wanted to know. I didn't mean to pry...

"He was a hero once but he snapped and we had to defeat him. He destroyed Midgar and killed Aerith when she tried to stop him. Cloud killed him... a few times. Cloud was shook up after Aerith's death and then he remembered his best friend's death too..." Tifa trailed off looking back to the door. The tears had started rolling down her cheeks and onto her light blue tank top.

"I'm sorry..." I told her looking down to my hands. I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"It's okay Kairi. I'll be back soon, we can talk more about it later." Tifa told me as I looked up at her. He eyes were now drying up and her face its normal colour. It was almost as if I imagined the tears on her face a second ago.

"I'll see you soon." Tifa told me as she closed the door with a quiet click. I knew she would be back soon, I just hope I didn't upset her...

It was late when Sora woke up. It was around one in the afternoon and the sun poured in through the window. The walls were streaked with pale light as the sunlight crept in making the room seem more open and happy than it normally did. I was reading quietly when I heard the click of Sora's back as he straightened up before he moved. He did the same thing back in our world. I snapped my head over to him. He was rubbing his hand through his more-messy-than-usual hair as it stuck up closer to Cloud's style than Sora's.

Tifa had been gone for around four hours now, I wondered if she was alright after telling me about what happened to Midgar and all that.

"Ohh my head!" Sora groaned as he sat up in bed. After he passed out last night Cloud had insisted on locking him in his room until he woke up. He had helped me lug Sora all the way up to the room we were staying in. Sora was so heavy! He needed to stop eating everything in sight. And he needed to get some treatment to stop him from snoring. Well, he only snores when he's drunk anyway…

"You shouldn't drink all that alcohol then." I told him quietly from the side of the room I was sitting on. Denzel had a window seat in his room so he could look out while he sat on this seat. It wasn't a bad view, I could see the sky and the edge of the town where Edge ended and Midgar started. It was daunting to think a place as big as Midgar could be destroyed by one man.

I had been reading a book Tifa had lent to me 'LOVELESS' or something… I saw that it was a play and I guess that 'LOVELESS Avenue' is named after it as well. I folded the page in the book as I turned to look at Sora again as he started rubbing the back of his head while squinting at the afternoon sun that came in through the window.

"I didn't drink… much?" Sora said to me in a groan it was almost as if asking how much he drank. I shook my head at him; he was too drunk to even remember drinking the entire bottle! Cloud called the bottle 'Expensive Turk Poison' so I'm thinking it's for those 'Turk' people Tifa was muttering about the other day after closing. The ones who sat at the bar with their black zip up suit jackets and white shirts and black ties. They seemed professional but the red haired one – he looked like Axel- was so lazy it almost seemed like he was in the wrong line of work.

I assured both Cloud and Tifa that Sora would pay for the alcohol he drank which made both of them raise their eyebrows in slight shock. Cloud's shock was quickly hidden by his smirk. I guess I hadn't seen the price tag for the alcohol yet. I hope it isn't much…

"You drank a bottle of straight Vodka." I told him raising an eyebrow as he gave me the 'Seriously?' look. My look replied 'Duh, you were smashed.' Sora looked around with squinted eyes for a minute before him memories of the night before came flooding back. Well, the part where he was partly sober anyway...

"The one that was dubbed 'Turk Poison?'" Sora asked with a grin. He was enjoying this. Whether it was the face that Cloud had told him it was hard to get a bottle of that stuff within fifty miles of Edge and now Cloud would have to go get another bottle or the fact that he managed to drink this alleged poison without dying I'll never know. I want to know why those two hate each other so much. Either they hate each other or just enjoy getting on each others nerves.

"Yes Sora, you drank the 'Turk Poison'. And now you are paying for a new bottle because no matter how much you hate Cloud you just drank a bottle of Tifa's alcohol unassisted by anyone so you will pay for it." I told him with my most serious look on my face. Sora's hands flew down and made a soft hitting noise off the covers of the bed as he slapped them down as fast as he could

"I don't hate Cloud! He said I was annoying! Its payback!" Sora exclaimed before wincing at his own noise level that was now aggravating his headache. I was glad Cloud was out getting the alcohol for Tifa; he would've marched up here and told Sora he was too loud… again.

Denzel had gone to school and Tifa had finally called me. She said she was going out getting food since Sora cleaned out the fridge of everything but the lettuce and the tomatoes. I didn't know if I believed her or not seeing as I looked into the fridge and saw about three different potential meals in there to be cooked. After hearing the clearing of a throat I looked at Sora who had his arms crossed after his little wail.

"I'm not annoying!" he told me re-crossing his arms with a 'humph!' When I didn't answer at first

"You ARE annoying!" I assured him loudly before scowling at him. Sora scowled back and we sat like that for a little while, just scowling at each other before we were interrupted by the shrill sounding of the high pitched song.

_**it's a world of laughter, a world or tears  
its a world of hopes, its a world of fear  
there's so much that we share  
that its time we're aware  
its a small world after all**_

Of course that's Sora's ringtone. Lots of peppy people singing a peppy song. Typical him… We both just sat and stared at the phone for a minute. It was on top of the dresser next to me. I looked at Sora for a minute then back to the dresser. Trying to show him with my eyes that I wanted him to answer the phone to stop the evil noise.

"Answer it then Sora." I told him looking at the phone telling him to answer it. Sora looked to me then back to the phone. He still looked like he had a hangover.

"You're closer" he told me childishly crossing his arms.

"It's your phone."

"But you ARE closer!"

"And it's still your phone." I told him while the shrill song played again.

"Answer it and put it on speaker." Sora compromised with me. I rolled my eyes as I watched Sora get out of bed and stumble around until he fell back onto his butt.

"Fine. But you can talk." I told him as I picked up the small silver phone off the dresser. I pressed the 'accept call' button then the speaker button waiting for Sora to talk. When all I received was silence from the spiky haired male's side of the room I looked over to see Sora snoring while he lay on the hard wooden floor.

Typical. He couldn't even stay awake for five minutes before three in the afternoon. He almost went into hibernation between eleven and three PM. He was only ever up for around eight hours. The only time he was ever up early was for school after he would give me the 'I saved all the worlds and I still have to go to school?' lecture where he would tell me about how he could save the world a million times and probably still have to go to school.

"Hello?" I asked into the phone

"Forgetting to call me already, Kairi? I expect that from Sora but not you." a voice joked on the other line.

"Hey!" I replied earning a small laugh from the other line.

"It's been a while." The voice said to which I was about to agree.

**Who's on the phone?**

**Where's the dog?**

**Where did Tifa go?**

**Will Cloud get the right Turk poison?**

**Find out soon!**


	11. Surprise, Surprise Nothing Is Ever Easy

**Wdtl c11- Surprise, Surprise Nothing Is Ever Easy**

**I just wanted to contemplate my knowledge of Final Fantasy VII and Kingdom Hearts. First Final Fantasy. I've completed Crisis Core + Dirge Of Cerberus. I've watched Advent Children Complete + Last Order + Case Of Denzel. I've also read Case Of Tifa and almost finished Final Fantasy VII (I'm battling the Turks right now, the part with Elena, Reno and Rude.) oh! And for Kingdom Hearts I've played Birth By Sleep, the one with Xion (I can never remember the numbers... Three hundred and something) Kingdom Hearts 1+2 and I've read about Chain Of Memories and Coded.**

**So I'm thinking I have a pretty good knowledge but obviously I do have a few knowledge gaps so if I get anything wrong I would appreciate if someone could tell me so I can put it right again!**

**This is a chapter that is gonna be about Cloud and Tifa because I don't feel like writing about Sora and Kairi and their mysterious caller at the minute. I hope you like it!**

**R&R!**

(Cloud pov)

I sure as hell hope Tifa is okay. I knew she wouldn't tell either Sora or Kairi but today she was going to get a scan on the baby again, she was worried because he wasn't very active, he only kicked every once in a while. I wanted to go with her but I had leave early to walk Denzel to Cid's so he could walk to school with Marlene and Barrett. By the time I got back to the bar at eight Tifa had decided I needed to do a few deliveries and get the 'Turk poison' while it was still a weekday and the Turks busy trying to make Midgar inhabitable again. They ha a long job ahead of them but it must be easier since many men who had better resistance due to their time in SOLDIER were going to help now they had finished building Edge - almost.

My thoughts were pulled back to the road as a few of those giant bugs came to attack me. I effortlessly took my sword out of the compartment it was resting in pointing it at one of the slimy creatures before swerving the bike and taking a swing. I was soon heading on leaving each bug emitting a high pitched screech in the road behind me after a fatal blow leaving it oozing with it's interestingly coloured blood. I gave a small noise in amusement at their attempts to attack me before I sped up on the way to my destination.

Right now I was speeding towards Klam on Fenrir to get the alcohol. I didn't understand how the Turks could drink this; the way their drinks were mixed they had more of this strong vodka in than anything else. I didn't know how Sora could drink it straight from the bottle without dying, Turks are always out like a light after about four glasses of the drink that was fifty percent vodka.

I though back to this morning. When I left Denzel with Barrett and Marlene he had been happy with taking Prowler to school. Denzel had taken Prowler with them because Denzel wanted to walk him to school but he must've forgotten the 'no dogs in school' rule his class had. Barrett would have to look after demon dog. Denzel loved his dog, even after we explained it could be my dead best friend with his pizza grabbing tendencies.

He laughed at that part of our 'dog responsibility' talk.

I remembered how when Kairi had woken up Tifa seemed stiff, like she was trying not to let Kairi know she was hiding something. She didn't know she was making it easier Kairi to tell by her posture that something was wrong. Kairi seemed too drowsy to notice at first, I wonder if she did notice after a little while how odd Tifa was acting. If you ask me I didn't think it was such a big deal to go for a scan. I mean, who's going to say anything?

I stopped as I neared the edge of Klam. My bike often kicked up too much dust while in this route and I was feeling the effects of the sandy dirt up my nose as I sneezed. I'd stopped for two reasons: one, I was going to go more slowly now to kick up less dust and I wanted the dust to clear first so I could see. And two, because I wanted to check my phone for any messages from Tifa or anyone else who messages may be important from.

**(A.N: this is where I think I've seen the symbols or know I have seen them.)**

I flipped my phone open to see the familiar picture of my symbol; the wolf with the ring in it's mouth. I remember when I was in my early twenties and this had been my emblem. It still was. It was on my shoulder guard, my phone, my gloves, it was even on the sliver earring I wore and other little rings I gave to Tifa and Denzel. I know Tifa always wears hers on her right hand, where she always had worn it. Denzel wore the ring on a chain around his neck; he said it was too big for his finger.

I felt a small smile on my lips as I thought of my family. Tifa and Denzel where my family now as well as the baby that was coming along soon. Now that I think back I remember how nervous I had been at first, I didn't know if I would be a good father for any child. I was quiet, I didn't show much emotion, I wasn't around much in the day and I sometimes ran off on my own for months at a time.

'You forgot you like to keep your problems bottled up.' a soft voice whispered on the wind. I looked up but the owner of the voice was nowhere in sight. I smiled faintly at the air. The owner of the voice was watching me; she must be getting stronger with the full moon approaching in two days.

She was right though, even Tifa knew I didn't confide in her about everything.

I looked down to my phone when a gust of wind started to knock the phone charm against my gloved hand. I soon noticed was the flashing message icon on the top of the screen next to the icon telling me my Bluetooth was active. I quickly flipped my messages open with a flick of my thumb seeing one from Sora, one from Barrett and one from Tifa.

The clock on my phone told me it was just after three meaning Tifa would've been back ages ago and Denzel would either be at home or Barrett's. The text from Barrett would probably tell me where Denzel and the dog are; maybe he lost the dog, I wouldn't mind.

Tifa could've gone to the store, she knew we needed cereal, but I hoped that she had gone home to maybe get Kairi to take her or to make sure Sora wasn't throwing up all over the bathroom.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts before opening the first message, the message from Sora.

_**Hey Cloud, sorry about drinking that whole bottle of alcohol. Told ya I could do it. Anyway, Kairi said I have to pay for it so, how much? Love, Sora.**_

Stupid kid puts love at the end of his texts. I replied quickly:

_**2,000 gil and were cool.**_

I smirked as I sent the message. He would probably believe me; the alcohol only cost around 1,000 gil from Kalm. I could use the rest of the money to buy something for Tifa, maybe a ring...

A ring... I'd been thinking of asking her to marry me for a while, maybe after the baby was born, when everything was calmer. I wonder if Tifa would like that. I would buy something not too fancy with millions of different gems but not something too small like a golden band with a tiny stone. Maybe Sliver with a cluster of diamonds, something pretty but not too flashy. I liked the picture in my head, now I just had to find a ring similar to that.

Just then my phone vibrated in my hand. It told me I had a text from Sora. I mentally shook myself before realising I hadn't read my message from Tifa or Barrett. I opened the message from Sora first though, the message almost made me smirk.

_**Kairi told me I should give you 3,000 gil to be generous seeing as I'm annoying. Well, she thinks I am. I'll give you the money when you get back. By the way, talk to Tifa; she didn't seem too happy when she came home. Sora xx**_

Kisses this time? Maybe Kairi wrote it. That explanation was logical. I didn't expect Sora to put kisses on the end of a message. I read over what he had written again before clicking off the message. I wonder why Tifa isn't too happy. Is there something wrong with the baby?

I wasted no time in clicking onto the message from Tifa ignoring Barrett's for now.

_**Cloud, I have to talk to you NOW. Xxx**_

I stared at the message for a minute before scrambling to catch my phone as it nearly slipped out of my hand. My phone had surprised me by vibrating on its own accord; it was telling me that Tifa was calling me.

"Hey, Tifa." I said into the phone unsure of what to expect on her end of the phone, I know Sora said she was sad, but how sad? And about what?

"Hi Cloud." Tifa sighed into the other side of the phone.

"…are you ok?" I asked slowly, I didn't want her to get angry at me.

"Yes, of course I am why wouldn't I be?" her voice replied on the other side f the phone. Her voice didn't tell me how she was feeling; she was trying to hide her feelings.

"Sora told me you weren't happy." I told her quickly moving so I could push the kickstand down on Fenrir so I could go sit on that comfy looking rock a few paces away. I knew I wanted to talk to Tifa for a little while.

"I'm fine, just tired." She replied in a normal Tifa tone. I wonder if she was sad and just didn't want to tell me.

"What happened at the hospital?" I asked finally sitting on the rock and resting my back against another, taller rock…

"Well, I have some news but I'm not sure if its good or bad." She said in an unsure voice. She seemed hesitant.

"What is it?" I really hope the baby is okay, I hope it doesn't have something weird that the doctors aren't sure a lot. Like something that could be caused by the high levels of Mako and Jenova Cells in my body, higher than even the top ranks of SOLDIER thanks to Hojo. Nobody knew what that could do to the baby.

"Well, I know what you're thinking and no there is nothing wrong with the baby… he's going to be a normal boy. However his sister…"

_Wait a second…_

"Sister?" I interrupted hissing into the phone. I wasn't sure what to say. Was Tifa trying to tell me we were having twins?

"Yes Cloud, sister…." Tifa said in her patient voice. I wonder how she thought I would take this.

I can tell you now I wasn't taking it too good. But I had to stay calm, It's not a big deal it's just another mouth to feed. And then I'd have to change a nappy for them both and wake up in the night when they were crying. Great. I'd heard from Barrett that the only think babies did was eat, sleep, cry and poop. I really hope he was exaggerating.

"So… twins?" I swallowed before I spoke; I hope my voice sounded level as I spoke into the phone staring ahead with wide eyes. I was glad the rock was behind me so I could lean on it. this was a lot to take in for me who was sitting on a rock just outside Kalm talking to my girlfriend on my phone.

"Yep, the little girl was hiding behind her brother, she's a bit smaller and somehow managed to fit completely behind him so the scan couldn't see her. **(Unlikely, I know but its my story so :P) **the doctor said it was the first case he saw where the baby somehow managed to hide. I said she must take after her father with all the hiding." I could almost see Tifa's smug smile on the other side of the line.

She would be holding her phone to her ear with one hand and holding her elbow with her other hand. Whenever she did this she looked almost like she was crossing her arms but with the phone to her ear so not to complete the crossing of her arms.

"Let's hope her brother got the finding skills you have." I shot back light heartedly. If she was going to joke about my leaving I'd joke about her following me anywhere.

"We still haven got names."Tifa said after a small noise of amusement on her side. I imagined her pacing forward with her hand still gripping her elbow as she walked. I imagined a small smirk on her lips as she stopped in front of something and changed her position so her hand was instead resting on her hip.

"I told you, I'll think of something." I told her with a slight chuckle. "When we see them, we'll know what to call them." I added with one of my rare smiles on my face.

"Well, I like the name Skye." Tifa old me ignoring my 'I'll think of something.

"Girl or boy?"

"Boy."

"How about Lilly for girl." I asked looking up to the sky when the wind suddenly picked up swirling towards the clouds.

"I thought you'd suggest Aerith." Tifa told me monotonously. I didn't know if she was joking or sad at the thought.

"Nah, I don't wanna name our children after them. I agree it may honour them but it wouldn't feel right to call our son Zack. Too many bad memories." I told her with a smile.

"can you think of any names for a boy then?" Tifa asked me. I could almost see her pacing again.

"Um… Ryan, James, Keith, Bob, Nathan, Kai, Malcolm, Ken…"

"Ken?" Tifa asked stifling her laugh

"No idea." I answered truthfully hearing the sweet sound of her laughing at me from the other line.

"Those are all horrible names!" she told me to which I couldn't reply, I wasn't very imaginative when it came to names.

We were both quiet for a small while, it was nice to have the peace and quiet for a small amount of time. That's when I heard a bang in the background.

"What was that exactly?" I asked as I heard Sora and Kairi shouting in the background.

"Sora ran into a wall." Came the plain uninterested reply.

"…is he okay?"

"Not sure."

"Ok." I said with a shrug not really caring what happened. He owed me money.

"Anyway, I have to go if you want me back with the vodka by eight, you know, when the Turks come in?" I asked standing up slowly and walking over to Fenrir.

"Okay, okay. I'll go. I love you." I heard Tifa say in her upbeat tone. She was obviously happy.

"By the way, the fact you're having twins I think its good news. I hope you feel the same." I told her slowly. I always answered slowly when it was something I was either nervous about saying or unsure.

"I do, Cloud. I'm happy. I just didn't know how you would react."

"Well, I'm happy too." I told her. I think that was the first time I'd told her I was happy for a while. I never really did have time for my emotions over the last two years and even now I don't broadcast them to the world. I heard an almost giggle from Tifa at my reply.

"As long as you're happy Cloud." She told me. I could practically hear the smile in her voice.

"Bye Teef."

"Bye Cloud." Then the line cut off. I smiled to myself a bit, I know people say it's rare that I smile but that's because it used to be rare for me to have anything to smile about.

I almost forgot about Barrett's message until my phone vibrated with another text, this time from Marlene.

_**Hi Cloud! Daddy said you need to see his text. It says Denzel and Prowler are here. Now I told you so you don't need to see his text with all the swearing in it! Marlene xxxx**_

I sighed and shook my head opening Barrett's message to see it said just what Marlene said it would. With the added swear words. I replied quickly before my phone vibrated again. This time it said the number was unknown but that it was a long text. I was curious. Sometimes I had clients that say they want to be anonymous. I think it's the Turks most of the time but some people just don't want to be known by the person who was receiving the package.

_**Hey Cloud, no I'm not a Turk. Its me, Zack! Anyway me and Aerith are stronger right now due to the moon's power and everything so I'm sending you a text from beyond the grave. WOO! So I just wanted to say thanks for not calling your kid Zack. Imagine me coming round on the full moon and having to say hi to myself? He wouldn't even look like me. I think Skye is a nice name but Ken, what the hell were you thinking?**_

_**Aerith wanted me to tell you that you should buy a ring in Kalm because they're cheap and pretty and simple unlike anything you would find in Midgar or Wutai – which is your next delivery. Stupid ninja and her Materia craze… try Kalm jewellers; they may be able to get the ring in your head for you.**_

_**Anyway, Zack out!**_

_**Ps: congrats on the twins!**_

So now they have phones in the lifestream? At least Zack was supporting me with this whole engagement idea. And the twins. I'm still trying to get my head around it, twins….

I could almost hear Zack's laugh on the wind when I kicked up Fenrir's kickstand ready to go to Klam. I drove slowly so I could think before I delivered what I needed and got what Tifa needed.

I couldn't wait to see Tifa when I got home… and the wad of money in Sora's hand.


	12. Holding The Story A Few Months

This story is on hold until the end of June.

I'm sorry, I have to put this on hold to the end of June because starting Monday I am in my GCSE exam period and won't have any time to write at all.

I have 1-4 exams a week so as you can see I'll be really busy.

I hope you'll hang in there and wait for my return. I promise I'll be back before you know it. Trust me it hurts me more than you.

Seriously.

Ok, I'm sorry I can't even leave you one last chapter before I go for a long time.

I'll be back around the 27th – 30th of November.

Bye, SORRY!

Love, Emza

xxxxx


	13. Thinking of you Even if we did forget

Wdtl c12

**What the heck was I talking about in my last note? November? Wtf, my exams only lasted until yesterday, so here's your new chapter. There will be another next week because I'm busy this week! Collage and crap so you know... enjoy!**

Thinking of you. Even if we did forget...

_Previously on Kairi's POV..._

_**"Hello?" I asked into the phone**_

_**"Forgetting to call me already, Kairi? I expect that from Sora but not you." a voice joked on the other line.**_

_**"Hey!" I replied earning a small laugh from the other line.**_

_**"It's been a while." The voice said to which I was about to agree.**_

Kairi POV.

"Riku!" I said happily to the boy on the other side of the phone.

"Sora there?" he asked almost impatiently before I could get another word in about how we missed him and thought about him at home with Terra, Aqua and Ven and how we wondered how Tidus was doing learning Blitzball from Wakka. That kinda stuff that he liked to hear.

I'd been meaning to call Riku I just hadn't had chance... And that is a total lie.

I would've remembered but I honestly forgot about the existence of level headed calm Riku up until this point.

"Sora is in bed with a hangover." I told Riku with a sigh looking over to my boyfriend who was lying in bed snoring loud enough to wake Tifa -if she was in- who slept like the dead. "And it hasn't been that long you know, only..."

"Three weeks." Riku finished for me with a slight chuckle in his tone. "I know, I just wanted to check in to make sure Sora isn't dead." He added. I'm sure it was a joke but knowing Riku AND knowing Sora it probably was more serious than joke.

"He isn't dead. Well, not yet. So far he has angered three men with big swords, a pregnant woman and a dead person." I told Riku remembering when the ghost of Aerith had came to pay him a visit claiming that the full moon was giving her strength but not enough to stay long and that she would be back in two days to see Cloud and Tifa.

Then I remembered how Sora had fended her off thinking that she was an evil spirit by putting one finger over the other in a cross gesture like the cute little idiot he was.

"... The three men I could guess. Pregnant woman; probable. But, dead person? How the heck did he annoy that guy?" Riku asked in shock and surprise. He was used to being annoyed by Sora but I think he just reached a level of annoyance that not even Riku thought was possible.

"One, it was a girl. Two, its Sora." I told Riku looking over to Sora. He had started snoring lightly and ever flapping his arms making it look like he was trying to take a bird out.

"Good point. He agreed into the phone. I let out a small giggle before leaving the room so that Sora could sleep peacefully. I walked down into the living room with sock covered feet making my footfalls almost silent as I walked into the living room.

"So... is there a problem or are you just calling for a chat?" I asked putting one hand behind my back before turning and sitting on the long sofa.

"Well I was just gonna tell Sora that Ventus wanted to kill him because he is adamant that he is Vanitas come back to haunt him." he laughed out at me. I heard the yells from Ven at Riku for laughing at his theories.

"What?" I laughed back almost knowing the answer was a shrug.

"And Aqua and Terra have gotten... close."

"Meaning?" I asked as I moved back and crossed my legs placing a pillow on my lap.

"They like to be 'alone' a hell of a lot so I have to babysit Ven." He told me with a sigh. I knew he was rubbing his temples with his 2 fingers right now.

"Ven is about sixteen, I believe when we were sixteen we were off saving the world somewhere." I told him with a smirk hearing Ventus shouting about his adventures that led him to have to use Sora to keep his heart so it could repair.

"Fine. Ven! Do what you want; I'm going to sit on the beach!" Riku shouted. I heard his footsteps as he moved away from the younger teen.

"Grrr I swear I'm be glad when you and Sora get home." Riku told me as I heard him plonk down on the sand. I was about to reply when I heard keys in the door and a sigh as Tifa made her way back into the house. I lowered the phone from my ear long enough to shout a greeting to the woman who just walked in.

"Hey Tifa!" I shouted down to her in greeting getting nothing in reply I placed the phone back to my ear.

"Tifa home?" Riku asked. I looked down the stairs before answering I heard a noise from the store room behind the bar. It had to be Tifa. Cloud wouldn't be home yet and he knows never to touch the stock behind the bar but even I knew Tifa didn't sort the stock in the middle of the day. I knew something was up.

"Riku, I gotta go. I'll get Sora to call you later; I think there's something wrong with Tifa." I said slowly and quietly into the phone. I heard the noise of approval from Riku before the click of the phone as he hung up on me. It was always like that with Riku, he hung up on you for no apparent reason.

Nobody said goodbye anymore anyway, we were all too cool for that. Or at least... thats what Sora thinks.

"Tifa! You okay down there!" I asked as I put the phone in my pocket and made my way down to the bar. I heard a quiet noise from inside the store room. I couldn't tell if it was a noise made out of sadness or joy. So me being me walked into the store room to see Tifa sitting on a few of the crates looking at a picture in her hand.

"So... where did you really go today?" I asked as I sat next to Tifa on a stack of wine bottle boxes. At first she looked like she was going to lie again and tell me she went to the store but the look I gave her made her stop and back down with just a sigh as she looked away.

"... The hospital. My last baby scan." The words were hesitant, like she didn't want me to know.

"It's okay Teef, please tell me." I told her taking her hand in mine over her big stomach with a sigh Tifa looked over at me at smiled.

"I'm having twins." She said with a smile. I smiled back not sure how to reacts because I wasn't sure how Tifa felt about it. I saw the small frown on her face as she sank in to thought.

"It'll be great..." she said absentmindedly to me staring off into the distance. I still wasn't sure what emotion she was feeling.

"Why are you sad?" I asked cocking my head to the side as I took the picture from her hands counting the heads of the two big babies inside of her. Tifa looked at me with a troubled expression before giving another sigh and looking away from my eyes down to the floor that was littered with empty boxes of the stock.

"I don't know what to tell Cloud." she told me taking back the little picture when I offered it to her I nodded in understanding at Tifa's inner conflict before standing up and offering her a hand.

"Why don't you just call him?" I asked as Tifa gripped my hand strongly. I saw the thoughtful look in her eyes as she stood.

"I could..." she whispered once again looking down after she dropped my hand and moved a little way away so she wasn't in contact with me.

"I'm sure he wouldn't react badly." I told her. To be honest I couldn't imagine Cloud flying off the handle because he was expecting twins.

"I guess..." she sighed walking away sadly. "I'll be in my room." Tifa said before I heard her trudging up the stairs. I checked she was gone before I pulled out Sora's phone and text Cloud of it. I made sure I sounded more like Sora than me.

I smiled as I pushed the phone back into my jeans pocket before I went up to Tifa's room. Carefully I pushed open the door to see the woman lying on her back staring at the ceiling.

"Tifa..." I said softly looking at the clock for a second before calculating the time. I heard the acknowledgement of the woman in the room and watched as she sat up to look at me.

"I'm going to get Denzel for you. I'll even get groceries while I'm out too." I told her with a small smile. I watched as Tifa smiled back a little hesitantly and nodded at me. I hoped she was feeling better now that she had time to think about what was going on.

"Thanks Kairi, I appreciate your help." She told me weakly still smiling. I nodded returning the smile I hoped would stay on her face now that she seemed a little happier.

"You rest now." I told her in silent goodbye before closing the door to the room Tifa was in and slipping into my room to grab my coat.

I got a reply off Cloud two hours after I sent the message. I know it was wrong of me to keep hold of Sora's phone but I couldn't find mine and I didn't think he would need it if he was going to be in bed all day.

I smiled at Cloud's response before tapping out my own reply and texting Tifa at the same time to tell her that Cloud's phone was on and he was answering just in case she wanted to tell him. She thanked me just as I got to Barrett's house to pick up Denzel and the dog.

Denzel offered to help carry the bags I was struggling home with while Prowler trotted along ahead of us with no leash around his neck as he stayed loyal and near to us.

"Is Tifa okay?" Denzel asked out of the blue after I got him a Sea Salt ice cream I knew little kids liked.

"She's fine, why?" I asked looking at the boy who was beyond his age in his intellect. Denzel licked his ice cream before he answered.

"I saw Zack today, he only really comes to me when something is wrong or something is about to change rapidly." He told me with a small shrug before tapping his leg to call Prowler closer to us.

"Who's Zack?" I asked puzzled about this man everyone kept talking about, Zack seemed to be a name that caused everyone sadness. All I remembered from what Cloud told me at the cinema those few weeks ago was that he used to think he was Zack when he was younger due to trauma he'd suffered and that he had had a really hard life.

"Zack was Clouds best friend until he died protecting Cloud." the boy told me without showing any emotion in his voice. I looked down to Denzel to see him just licking on his ice cream as if he hadn't just told me of Cloud's dead best friend.

"Cloud doesn't seem like the type of person to need to be protected." I said softly as we walked. Prowler had come up beside me now and was in step with Denzel and I whining softly at the thought of Zack. I wonder what the dog had to be sad about, from what I was told he had been a stray that Denzel found a few months ago.

"He was weak when he was twenty; Tifa told me that he was only in the regular army when he was fifteen while Zack was in the SOLDIER program." Denzel said before he went back to his ice cream. "Zack comes to visit us on the full moon. You can meet him then because it's in two days." Denzel added before walking ahead and calling the dog with him as we neared the bar.

"Hey Riku." I said as I flopped down on the now vacant bed that I shared with Sora.

"You never told Sora to call me." he said with a small chuckle. I rolled my eyes and giggled with him for a second before looking to the bathroom.

"Sora has been asleep all day and as soon as he woke up he got sick." I told Riku with a huff exhaling air out that blew my fringe up out of my eyes. He let out a small laugh at the thought before I heard shuffling.

"Hey, Riku, what have you had to do to settle the others in who we rescued?" I asked rolling onto my stomach and propping myself up on my elbows.

"I had to get them all settled in at the house we rented for them." He told me calmly. I stayed silent hoping for more. "Ven had nightmares for the first week, he wouldn't tell me what about but Aqua said that he had a lot to be worried about and scared about." Riku finished with a sigh

"What about Terra?" I asked remembering the tall brunette male.

"After wrestling him into a pair of jeans and getting him into school he took the role of father to Ven while Aqua seems to play mother most of the time." He told me. I could hear the smile in Riku's voice as he thought of the two playing parents like how we knew Wakka and his girlfriend Lulu did for Tidus because he looked like Wakka's dead little brother.

"So, how's everyone else?" as I got up and walked across the room to where Sora kept his Gil.

Riku proceeded to tell me how Wakka had finally proposed to Lulu and because the pair were now in their twenties they had decided to get married in the spring. Everyone was joking that their next move was to adopt Tidus seeing as his parents had died when the world was destroyed.

Riku told me how Selphie had been out off the island and found her way to the gummi ship and was now in Twilight Town with Olette, Hayner and Pence. I remembered the three from when I was taken off the island.

"Cloud's home!" Denzel called as Prowler started barking like mad.

"Can it, mutt!" I heard Cloud shout as the door opened and closed on his arrival.

"I left your money on the table!" I called from the kitchen where I was cooking lunch for because Tifa was napping and Sora was in bed with a stomach bug.

"Thanks Kairi!" he shouted back before I heard the sounds of money scraping on wood and boots walking up to the kitchen where I was.

"Where's Tifa?" he asked leaning in the doorway for a minute. I looked over the whole of Cloud's outfit before moving to scowl and put a hand on my hip.

"Cloud Strife! You come in here and you're treading mud all over Tifa's clean floor! I had to clean it for her today and I have to say the stuff the dog brings in and the dirt off Sora and Denzel's socks is completely DISGUSTING! Go clean up and take those boots off while you're at it because I don't want mud all over the clean floor!" I didn't realise I was ranting until I was finished. I was shaking a fringe at him while I was talking and leaning forward to emphasize my point by the end of my rant.

I looked at Cloud as he blinked back at me before stifling a small chuckle with his hand over his mouth. After a minute both of us were full blown laughing – but quietly, we didn't want to wake up Sora or Tifa. While we calmed down I grabbed a spoon and started to stir the soup I had cooking.

"Okay, okay! I know I sounded like a mother just then but seriously! You just trod mud all through the house!" I sad again earning a raised eyebrow from the blonde. "Your room" I said pointing with the spoon I was holding.

Cloud didn't say a word as he disappeared out into the hall and eventually up into his room. I sighed and kept stirring the soup wondering if he was okay with the news if the twins or if he was going to say something to Tifa now.

I decided that he was the kind of guy who would love their children even if one had two heads. I doubt he would mind having two babies instead of one. With a sigh and a smile I went back to cooking hoping and praying that the couple would get their happy ending.

**A little short for a coming back chapter but I am still busy for the next two weeks so here's all I could get out for you! Hope you enjoyed the first chapter in a month or however long it was! Tell me what you think will/ should happen next! I'm always happy for reviews!**

**The next chapter will be the start of the end!**


	14. Things Change, People Get Lost

_**Happy birthday to me! happy birthday to me! happy birthday dear Emza! Happy birthday to me!**_

**I turned 16, maybe I'll get enough courage to write an M like I keep thinking of doing...**

**Anyway here's ending part 1/3! Enjoy!**

Things Change

Cloud POV

It had been a week since I had last gone on a long delivery, Tifa was huge and I know that the babies were due in the next couple of days –gulp- I knew I would have to adjust to the change.

Sora and Kairi were leaving in two days – finally!- I can honestly say ill be sad to see Kairi go because she was a great friend for Tifa seeing as Yuffie has decided that going near the martial artist will make her pregnant or something a kid like Yuffie would believe.

Its times like that when I wonder what the hell they teach the kids in Wutai. I wonder if Yuffie could be dubbed as a 'normal' child from Wutai or if she's just the crazy one.

It would be just our luck to get stuck with the crazy one.

"Cloud! Have you seen Tifa?" Kairi called from her room. Sora was in better shape today than he had been all week; he somehow managed to get food poisoning at a fast food place before he got drunk at the bar. Tifa was just glad it wasn't her fault he was ill.

I stood up from my place on the sofa where I was watching a repeat of a show I used to watch with Denzel all the time. Id left Tifa in bed this morning before I went out to do a delivery to the other end of Edge.

"Not since this morning." I told her walking up the stairs to where Kairi was standing with her purse slung over her one shoulder and her other hand on her hip. She was wearing a pink hooded dress today with a while undershirt and pink converse boots.

"Huh, she said we could train today." Kairi said looking at me for a reaction. Why would I react badly she was just training with Tifa.

_Tifa's pregnant idiot... _a voice in my head snapped. 'Huh? oh. OH!'

"Tifa can't train she's heavily pregnant!" I told her with a confused look.

"I know, she is just going to tell me if I'm doing my martial arts right." Kairi told me with a smile and a pat on the arm. "But I haven't seen her since she left this morning to walk Prowler." Kairi walked over to her room. It sounded like Sora was still in there getting changed from the squawk of surprise I heard from inside when Kairi entered. I smirked a little before walking away to see if Tifa was in the house asleep somewhere. When I confirmed that Tifa wasn't around I went to wait in the hall for the reappearance of Kairi.

When Kairi walked back out of her room she had jeans on with her white tank top and a blue hooded jacket over the top.

"She isn't here." I confirmed sadly before Kairi had even closed the door.

"I know." She said with a sigh looking down to the floor so all her hair fell over her shoulders.

"Well, let's go find her!" Kairi said enthusiastically with a small smile as she grabbed at the strap of her bag and started to run past me. I ran after Kairi in hope we could find Tifa, she was always the one who found me not the other way around. I hoped it was a girl thing to find guys easily. I quickly walked over to Kairi who had stopped at the front door.

"Ok, I'll go check down in town; I'll ask around to see if anyone has seen her, you go check the park and the Midgar ruins. I'm sure we can find her before dark!" Kairi looked at me with a determined look. I however wasn't as optimistic that we could find her. I nodded before heading off towards the park that we used to take Marlene and Denzel when they were younger.

"Tifa!" I called as I walked through the snow that had come late for this year. The chilled February air made me clutch my thin jacket closer to me.

"Tifa!" I called again as I got further into the frosty park I heard a bark as a reply. I looked in the direction of the bark I had to squint due to the light fading as the sun hid itself behind the grey coloured clouds which promised a snow storm soon.

"Prowler?" I tried shouting listening as the barking grew louder and more aggressive. I ran in the direction of the dog I saw Prowler stuck with his lead trapped around a bar that belonged to a metal bench like so many others that littered this little park.

"Where's Tifa?" I asked the dog sternly while I unwound his lead from the bench. The deep barking of the dog became quieter as the sun went down until he was completely quiet.

"Prowler?" I asked looking over to the dog to see if he died to make his so quiet. The dog was still alive but his eyes seemed vacant, like he had the life sucked out of him.

"Right... full moon, Zack will be at the bar." I said looking up to the moon in the sky. While I was still looking at the moon my phone rang.

I took it out of my pocket pressing it to my ear in a silent greeting

"Cloud, we need to go home now, its dark out." Kairi told me on the other end of the line knowing that I wasn't going to give her a greeting from the times she had called me in the past.

"She's a grown woman she'll be fine for one night. She's smart enough to get to somewhere sheltered even if she is lost." The girl told me sympathetically before I heard the sound of the spare keys in the lock and the opening of the door.

"Okay... I'm on my way." I told her before shutting off the phone and making the way out of the park on my way to the bar.

"Cloud, she's fine." Kairi told me for the second time tonight. As soon as I got in Sora and Kairi had made me sit in the living room with them and Marlene and Denzel waiting for the night to end and the morning to come. Denzel had invited Marlene over because he thought she would like meeting Zack and possibly seeing Aerith although her visits were more rare than the ex-SOLDIER it was still a possibility she would come.

Kairi seemed more hesitant to tell me it would be fine after she knew I found the dog but not Tifa but she was one of those optimistic types meaning she wouldn't give up until we knew Tifa was safe or dead. Hopefully not the latter.

"Hey! Cloud!" a voice called from behind me. I whipped around too quickly at the sound of the oh so familiar voice. Sure enough behind me was the glittering translucent skin of my dead best friend.

"Zack..." I breathed feeling comfort in his presence like I always used to when he was alive. I let out a small smile before frowning as lowering my head with a frown.

"I'm worried." I told the ghost feeling I could tell the figure anything I wanted to because of who he was to me. My best friend who protected me with his life, who gave his life so I could be free in the end.

Zack still wore his SOLDIER uniform with pride and stood tall with the sae bright smile as he always did. I was glad Sora and Kairi were too stunned to say anything and ruin my admission to Zack. I saw Zack's face go from sad, to worried to sympathetic as his moods played out on his face like they did when he was alive. Suddenly I felt Zack's as he hugged me from behind for a minute before pulling away and looking me straight in the face.

"Hey Chocobo, don't worry about Tifa, she's safe. Aerith is looking over her." He told me softly looking down at his lap when he finished as he sat down next to me. I watched Marlene and Denzel from the corner of my eye as they looked at each other.

"Kids, this is Zack Fair, ex-first class SOLDIER and my friend." I told the two startling them because they didn't think I had been paying attention to them.

"Mr. Fair did you fight monsters?" Denzel asked politely almost immediately making Kairi laugh at the question while Sora looked like he was thinking.

"Kid, Mr. Fair is my father, just call me Zack." He told him extending his hand out to the small boy sitting on the sofa. "And yes, I fought many monsters." He told them before telling them stories about his past using his hands to act out the scenes.

Thats how the rest of the night went, Zack and the others chatting about past times and people who had met Zack in different places like when Sora mentioned 3 people called Terra, Aqua and Ven who knew Zack. Sora even told us how Zack had cockily asked aqua on a date. At the mention of his failed date invitation Zack tried to change the conversation but had no luck.

All night I sat watching the people around me thinking about if Tifa was alright, it was unbearable to know that she wasn't with me and could be cold or dying. I know Zack told me that she was with Aerith but it didn help much. I wish I knew where she was.

Tifa...

**I know its short but I couldn't think of much else I could do to bulk out this chapter. I may post the alternate end to this chapter to show you where it was going before hand if you want me to. Anyway I'm off to bed so I can wake up early for my bday! I'm going to get the cartilage in my ear pierced tomorrow!**

**Bye bye**


	15. The Day His World Stood Still

**Did everyone die? I got nothing, literally nothing for that last one. I'm only posting this cuz I feel like it cuz right now I feel under appreciated. Pleeaaaassseee give me some kind of feedback! I love it so, I live for it!**

**Lol, now my begging is over let's get going with the next to last chapter!**

**But seriously just a 'go Em!' would work for me!**

**Randomer: Shut it!**

**Me: Sorry! Got it, enjoy this then!**

The Day His World Stood Still

Aerith POV

It was quiet, that's why I always used to love it here. All night I had sat here watching the body of my old friend waiting for her to either wake or get colder or for _something _to happen. I sat on one of the broken benches that lay across the floor next to her shaking body. Tifa was cold, but not too cold. The fire I had created for her out of my cherished church floor was still burning.

I sighed sad I was the one destroying the church after all the time that it was known as mine and cherished by all. Looking down at the cold woman before me I smiled slightly to myself. _I would rather she were alive while the church had a few less floor tiles than this broken down church to have a few extra floor boards but a dead body lying across the length of it._ I thought to myself as I walked over to check Tifa's temperature.

She was head warm but not hot enough to class as having a temperature, while her body was ice cold from lying out on the stone cold steps outside the rigid doors. I sat down beside the cold girl folding my legs in behind me and pulling her head onto my lap. I stroked her hair out of her face with feather light touches while I watched her stir in her peaceful sleep.

"Cloud..." she whined to herself in her sleep not realising she worried about him in her sleep as well as when she was awake. I could see through my link to Zack how sad Cloud looked bundled in front of the fine in the living room while the others all talked to Zack about his past. I'd be having a word with him later about some things he said.

"Tifa... you're going to be fine, so are the twins and so is Cloud." I told her unsure if she could hear me or not in her unconscious state. She stirred again her pale white face looking like snow framed by her thick brown hair.

Tifa seemed to relax as I stroked her hair but she still curled in on herself pulling her legs up to her large middle with a small whimper of acknowledgement towards me. I smiled, watching as Tifa curled her arms around her legs and snuggled her head into my legs before letting out a small sigh and going completely still. Her shallow breaths showed she was asleep. I smiled softly at her; she was acting like a child curling up to their mother. Soon, I started humming a recognisable song from our time in AVALANCHE to the small defenceless woman before me.

Tifa sighed but stayed asleep. From that moment on I knew she would be fine. I knew she would soon be herself, and she would be stronger than ever.

Cloud POV

The night had been long and I hadn't slept a minute.

Zack had kept me company for as long as he could but after three hours he started to fade telling me that Aerith had Tifa and I just needed to go to _'the place I always used to go'_.

Yeah, like that helped at all.

Kairi had woken up early to make sure I didn't do anything stupid. Not that she could stop me if my mind was set on it but I was going to be patient for the girl, she was calm and kind to me all the time the least I could do was not make it difficult for her. I sat with Kairi in the kitchen now, she had insisted on making my coffee and something to eat. Her coffee was good, but not like Tifa's and the cereal had no thought to it. I knew Tifa would've made pancakes or waffles or bacon.

_Stop trying to think of Kairi as Tifa. She never will be and you don't want her to be._ A voice in my head told me. I knew it was right, I didn't want Kairi to be Tifa, but I couldn't help comparing this new routine with Kairi to my one with Tifa noting how different everything would be without her.

"We can head out as soon as Denzel gets up." Kairi told me turning to me in the bright pink apron she was wearing over her jeans and purple hooded shirt -Tifa wouldn't have turned, just looked over her shoulder at me. she was cooking food for Denzel now, an omelette for the lazy bum who was still in bed...

"Denzel!" I barked up the stairs hoping to make him wake up faster. I may've been being patent for Kairi but Denzel needed to wake up so I could go out. I suddenly felt like Prowler of a morning, he was always calling for us to get up too... I heard a tired groan before a pillow was thrown at the wall at the top of the stairs. Denzel had slept in mine and Tifa's room last night seeing as he thought I wasn't going to go to bed at all last night, he was correct in those thoughts.

"He's up let's _go!_" I said almost tempted to walk out the door anyway without Kairi. My eyes flickered to the door at the thought wondering if I could outrun Kairi or maybe Prowler if I had to try and find Tifa. I thought to my bike out on the back road, I wondered if I could get to it before the dog.

"Calm down! You don't even know where you're going!" Kairi told me in a serious almost angry voice. I sighed as I swung my head around to meet her gaze before my gaze was swiftly averted to upon the floor.

"Sorry..." I muttered to Kairi still looking towards the door like a dog that wanted to go for a walk. Kairi looked at my face for a minute before I saw her face soften from the corner of my eye. Kairi sighed softly before turning back to the stove for a minute.

"We can go in a minute Cloud, but I need you to see if you can think of where she is. Did Zack tell you anything while you were alone that may help you find Tifa?" Kairi asked looking over her shoulder this time at me.

"He only said '_the place I always used to go'." _I told her as Denzel walked down the stairs with the dog. Prowler had slept on my bed with Denzel while Kairi and Sora stayed in Denzel's room. The dog came right up and sat in front of me. Even he looked sad that Tifa was gone. I sighed patting the dog's head before turning back to the table as Kairi lay the omelette before the empty place on the opposite end of the table.

Everyone looked at me for a minute they mostly were all shocked. Even Prowler wash shocked that I didn't shoo him away or something. To be honest I didn't feel like it, I may need him to help me find Tifa.

"Cloud..." Denzel sighed as he sat across from me by the omelette. Everyone had tried to make it seem as if they had gotten over the shock of me being nice to the dog. Even Kairi was shocked and she had only been here three weeks. Denzel knew the full extent of mine and prowlers war. He knew it ranged from Prowler ripping my order forms to me feeding him cat food.

Yes I did that on purpose, I swear.

I looked up at Denzel to see what he had to say. I was trying to stop my gaze flickering to the door. I knew I had a one track mind when it came to something urgent.

"Can dreams ever mean something?" he asked poking his omelette with a fork. He was looking down with one arm holding up his head while his eyes were hooded with the sleep that still lingered there. I looked up to him letting out a small noise in acknowledgement he had caught my attention.

"What did you dream, Denz?" I asked noticing as Kairi 'discreetly' left the kitchen to feed Prowler and wake up Sora.

"I dreamt I was with the flower girl. She took me by the hand and told me everything was going to be fine and that I should tell you to think about where she would've gone, where nobody will ever go anymore because it was her place and hers alone." Denzel paused to look up to my wide eyed face.

Now I knew where Tifa was.

"Denzel, tell Kairi I went out." I told him emotionlessly before pushing the wooden chair back making a scraping noise and leaving the house out the back to get my bike.

I heard Denzel shout Kairi telling her I was going out and that she would have to hurry if she wanted to catch me.

Good luck catching me Kairi... I thought as I revved Fenrir's engine before speeding off towards Aerith's church like a bullet out of Barrett's arm.

Aerith POV.

I watched Tifa all through the night, even when Zack had to leave. He used his power quicker than me because he was more energetic. I, being Cetra didn't waste my energy and had more time being one with the planet I could stay longer.

I watched the sun streak through the broken rotting rafters and the smashed stained windows. I remember when this church was beautiful. I remember when my adoptive mother would bring me here and tell me that someday the rafters would fall so the angels could get in. I remember when all the pews were lined and perfect enough for anyone to stay here. The flowers would grow up in the middle of the floor beckoning me to water and care for them. I remember when the young men would come in from SOLDIER and the Turks all checking up on me for either the president or Zack.

I smiled a tiny regret filled smile at the short life I had lived and the even shorter time I had spent with Zack. I remember the failed attempt at the flower wagon and the time the boy stole Zack's wallet. I even remember when his friend came telling me Zack was missing and helped me by fixing the wagon...

Well that's what he told Zack, he wasn't going to say he threw it away and bought me a big basket instead because it was more practical.

I let out a small giggle causing Tifa stir in her sleep. Her peaceful expression faltered as she muttered out a few incoherent little phrases to herself before trying to open her eyes.

I hoped the clues we left for Cloud to find were enough, I hoped he got here soon or Tifa might be having the twins right here.

I knew she was close to having them, the children inside of her were thinking, I could hear their small not really there thoughts of how dark it was and how they wanted move out of their tiny enclosed space.

"Hurry up, Cloud..." I muttered to myself while stroking back Tifa's fringe. I wondered when she was going to wake up, I wondered when she was going to tell me why she was here in the first place.

Looking like I was going to have to wait...

***looks right then left* REVIEW! *disappears***


	16. Things Change, People Are Found

Things change, people are found

**Here's the last chapter. Only the epilogue to go, sad? I know I am... *sniff sniff* well, lets get on with it.**

Aerith POV

"Tifa, I remember when we saved the world; you were so enthusiastic but so much the fighter you are today. You always had that little crush on Cloud and you were always jealous of me because you thought he liked me better. You thought he and I were flirting all the time but the truth is I wouldn't do that to you... or him. I had my chance, I had Zack, I knew Cloud knew him I knew as soon as I saw him with _that _sword. It belonged to Zack's mentor. He inherited it when Angeal died; he told me. Tifa, I wish you were awake to hear what I'm saying, I'm going to fade soon and I don't want to leave without you knowing I was here for you until I was forced to leave." A sigh left my lips as I looked down at the still girl.

"I wonder why you're still asleep; you slept all through the night and most of yesterday. Maybe it's just your body getting ready for what is to come. I know you were always a fighter but it was never really you to prepare, you used to rush into everything. You didn't know the fear of war that Cloud and Vincent knew, you didn't have guilt for helping Shinra destroy your town like Barrett and Cloud had, you didn't have a grudge for Shinra destroying your dreams like Cid and you weren't fighting for your country like Yuffie was... Deep down she did fight for Wutai, she just didn't realise it. I was fighting only to avenge Zack; well that's what I told myself. I was really fighting to see it all end, I wanted to end Shinra just like all of you it's the only think we all had in common." I glanced at Tifa once again watching her stir and flutter her eyelids as she started coming out of her sleep.

"I have a feeling if you were awake you would be denying everything I'm saying but please understand I'm just saying what I believe, you were almost always stubborn but now with these twins coming along you need to be more giving when Cloud or Denzel want to help, even when they're annoying and you think they don't understand you have to let them in or they won't ever understand what you're going through all on your own." I turned away from the girl after checking she was still asleep I moved over to the battered flower garden.

My flowers were dying slowly, even if they were sucking water out of the pool of holy water that now sat next to them carved into the dirt under the church. People came here every once in a while to bathe in the water, mostly the children who had the stigma. Cloud doesn't come often anymore; he's either out on his deliveries or with Tifa and the kids. He spends a lot of time on deliveries now; he wanted to save up some money I think.

With a sigh I looked to the window beside me seeing the ruined city through the pink glass wishing that the glass would become rose tinted and show Midgar for how it was: magnificent, great. I wanted to go back to the simple times when I could look at the plate and not into the sky that used to scare me so much, when Zack would come and brighten my day telling me about his.

"Tifa, do you understand what I'm telling you?" I said with a sigh still looking out into Midgar.

"Yes Aerith... I understand." A small quiet voice answered me. I smiled as I turned around to see Tifa looking up at me with a small smile of her own and hooded brown eyes that threatened to shut once again.

"Tifa." I said happily smiling as I hurried over to help her up.

Xoxoxoxox

Kairi POV

I walked out of Denzel's room into the hall. Sora had some rule where he refused to get up before lunch making me huff and leave. He was getting sillier and sillier as time went on. I think he needed to go home and have Riku put him down and laugh at him for a few days. I then remembered how we only had two days left here. With a sigh I walked down the hall and into the kitchen passing the noisy living room on the way.

When I entered the kitchen I noticed that I couldn't see the blonde that I was meant to be watching anywhere. Cloud had either up and left or gone to the bathroom or something.

"Prowler!" I called out looking to where the dog was sitting on a blanket I had laid out for him a few days ago after it started snowing and neither I nor Tifa wanted him to stay outside and die from the cold. Cloud and Sora both said we were overreacting but Prowler seemed to agree with neither the boys nor us seeing as he took the blanket from the living room into the corner of the bar where he could look out for whoever was serving on a night.

The large wolf-like dog trotted up to me with a curious look on his face. That was the thing I loved about Prowler; he was far more human than he should be. It was comforting to know that he wasn't just mindless like other dogs.

"Do you know where Cloud is, boy?" I asked scratching the fluffy ears of the large black dog. The big ice blue eyes stared back at me as Prowler shook his wolf-like head and nodded in the direction of the living room.

"Ask Denzel?" I asked the dog feeling silly for thinking that he may talk back. A wag of a tail and a small 'woof' was all I got in reply before Prowler trotted back to his bed to sleep the rest of the day away. I looked to his food bowl at his side to see it full, looks like he wasn't going to eat the food I'd had left over that id given him with his normal food.

I let a small smile grace my lips as I made my way up to the room Denzel was occupying. I stood in the doorway for a minute admiring what the boy was doing. He sat with his feet up as he read a magazine full of men with tattoos and piercings and their tongues out of their mouths.

The TV showed an old hotel with four men with black hair and outfits walking around while the music played the weird video with the singer looking like he was attacking himself made me scrunch up my eyebrows in confusion.

When I looked over to him Denzel was tapping his sock covered foot to the music blaring out of the TV while his eyes glanced over the upcoming concerts to bands I'd never head of.

"Weird band." I commented from the doorway. Denzel turned not even startled almost like he knew I was there.

"Thirty Seconds To Mars." He stated going back to his magazine. "Girls go gaga over the lead singer. This is one of their better songs." he told me as the lead continued to scream into the microphone. I tilted my head to look at him from a different angle. He had nice blue eyes but he looked weird, maybe something other girls found attractive.

"Weird name." I added to my earlier statement. Denzel looked up and rolled his eyes seeming more annoyed than angry. Probably because I was criticising a band he liked.

"The lyrics to the songs are good too, I like them." Denzel told me with a small indication to the man typing on a type writer. I hummed in acknowledgement but remained silent. It stayed that way for a little while. It was quiet while I rocked back on my heels watching a man go around on a skateboard.

"Not that this isn't fun Kairi but... um... did you need something?" Denzel asked this time looking up at me with a small smile.

"Denzel, do yo know where Cloud is?" I asked the boy while the TV mindlessly blared out music from the same channel as the magazine title (**this is me on a Saturday but with less phone. XD a mention in the epi to anyone who gets the magazine and channel title**!)

"Out." He answered almost nervously to me with a shrug.

"Where?" I asked slowly moving towards him to get a closer look at his face. I knew if he did know he wouldn't be able to tell me looking into my eyes.

"I... don't know." Denzel answered looking away from me. _Bingo. _I thought as a small smirk played at the corner of my lips.

"If you tell me I'll buy you three bottles of mountain dew and three boxes of Pop tarts plus some marshmallow fluff to dip them in like you do when Tifa isn't looking." I told him watching his eyes widen with every treat I mentioned to him. I knew it was kinda weird his craving for all that sugar but right now I needed to make sure Cloud didn't do anything rash and that Tifa was okay. From what Zack had said she was fine but things could change quickly when people were out in the freezing cold.

"I- he told me to just tell you he went out, I don't think he wanted to worry you." the young boy said hesitantly I knew he didn't know what he was going to do now, he wanted the treats but he didn't want to betray Cloud's trust.

"You can come with me if you want." I added watching as Denzel's face change into indecision. "Then you can see Tifa and maybe even Aerith, she might still be looking after Tifa." I saw the hopeful look in the boy's eyes.

"If we can find Cloud and Tifa, everything will be alright, right?" he asked hopefully with a small smile

I let out a noise of agreement enthusiastically with a smile threading my fingers together as I nodded at Denzel.

"He went to _her _church! Come on Kairi!" the boy said before running out of the room to grab his coat leaving everything as it was.

Before I left I looked to the TV the last lyrics were screamed out and one caught in my head as I walked out after Denzel.

_You say you wanted more  
What are you waiting for?  
I'm not running from you_

Sang out of the speakers quietly as I left the lyrics made me wonder why Denzel liked this kind of music. It would normally be the kind of music id think Cloud would be into, maybe Denzel just wanted to be like Cloud.

_I'm not running from you_

The line played in my head as I thought of Tifa. At first thought that could be said to be exactly what she was doing and I know Cloud used to run all over from Sora.

Huh, maybe running was a kinda theme in this world, along with all the war and death and giant weapons...

Seems likely.

Xoxoxoxox

Tifa POV.

I felt cold, not as cold as I had been before, but I was still feeling the cold even with the small dimming fire that still flickered before me. id been away for a few minutes now and Aerith had helped me to move to sit beside the flowers so I could smell the rich scent they gave off.

"Tifa, why did you come?" Aerith's soft voice asked me as we stared into the flickering embers of the fire. I paused in thought before I finally answered the ghost beside me in the flowers.

"I came to talk to you." I answered simply. I remember that I had gone out walking Prowler and suddenly decided I wanted to visit Aerith. I'd decided on names a while ago but Cloud had made me promise not to tell him because he was sure anything I was going to call our children was fine with him.

So one of the names I chose reflected him and his mother, Raine. Cloud told me about how his mother used to tell him stories about how his absent father had named him Cloud before he had died.

'_My father died when I was young but my mom told me it was his idea to call me clouds because my eyes were so blue he thought of the sky and that I should be named to reflect the skies just like my mom with her eyes.'_

That was what Cloud had told me once when we were around fifteen, right before he went to join SOLDIER. I knew his father died when he was young and left Raine to fend for herself with a young boy who didn't really fit in with the people around him.

I hoped Cloud liked the names I was giving the twins...

"Why did you want to talk to me Tifa?" the fading girl asked "you know, you didn't need to come here, I was coming to the bar to see you all." She added as she stood to stare into the light that came through the rafters.

"Aerith, I'm sorry I didn't mean to cause any trouble I don't know why I slept so long..." I paused at the thought. I had slept well the night before, why did I sleep for almost a day and a half?

"I tried to figure that out too Tifa. At first I thought it was just your body getting ready for what's coming but then I looked more closely at you and noticed the bump on the back of your head. I asked the life energy flowers and they gave me a mental picture of what happened. You came here with the dog at first and stood looking at the flowers for a minute.

The puppy –who was now without Zack's inner presence- started to play and kicked up a large part of a bench as he scrambled for a rat under a pile of the wood. It hit your head hard and knocked you out cold. I think that Prowler then went to get help because he ended up back at your house looking very sorry for himself." I touched the back of my head to find a small bruise there – I was lucky I didn't feel splinters. I pulled my hand back round to my face to look for blood – none. I looked back up to Aerith with a weak smile, I still felt a little drowsy...

Aerith was looking up at a light column that had seemed to grow stronger as it beamed down from the rafters, almost as if the Lifestream was calling to Aerith.

"I need to go back. Zack, Sephiroth Angeal and Genesis will fight if I don't go." (**Yes I know Gen is still alive, I played DOC) **Aerith watched the light for a minute. I dint recognise half the names but I wondered if Zack had been friends with Sephiroth – I had come to accept he had been a nice person before he had destroyed my home.

"Aerith don't leave me here, I can't get back to the bar on my own and- AH!" I felt a sudden pain in my back and stomach. I suddenly saw Aerith's head whip round as she looked at me. She looked pale even for her ghostly self. All of a sudden the wood around me was wet.

(**Please note that I am 16 therefore know nothing about birth other than what I have read. So I'm not gonna do a birth scene more of a panic beforehand. I don't know much about labour either so I'm kinda making it up as I go along...)**

"Oh Crap." She uttered out shocking me with her words. Aerith never swore... the small girl ran over to me. She was looking faint now like she was fading. She looked at me once over before franticly grabbing for my hand which was pressed tightly to my stomach.

"Tifa, I can't stay! I used all my power!" Aerith told me in an almost-wail. She was panicking, I was panicking, anyone else want to panic with us? Her tone told me she had no experience in childbirth – just like me – and that I was on my own. "Deep calming breaths." Aerith tried before she faded causing me to cry out.

"Aerith!" I shouted to the space around me. I clutched at the material of my shirt Aerith's hand had gone right through me, that was when I had known she wasn't really there anymore.

I let out a loud wail of anger out of being alone. I knew nothing about having a baby! I wished I'd paid more attention to what the doctor told me.

"Cloud!" I called out hoping someone –anyone – would come help me.

I knew nobody was here, nobody lived in Midgar anymore...

I was alone.

Xoxoxoxox

Third person POV

An hour had passed. The contractions were getting closer together and Tifa felt more and more pain as time went on. It started off just like cramps now it was full blown scream out pain. She couldn't remember ever feeling like this, not when she was sliced open by Sephiroth, not all those times she was almost killed in battle to the point of needing Phoenix Down.

It was true Tifa had a high pain tolerance most of the time but right now she was scared and being alone made her focus more on the pain than she would've originally planned on doing.

While Tifa was suffering Cloud was trying to get his hardest to her. Normally it took him half an hour to get into the slums and to the church but now his path had been closed off and it was taking him well over an hour. On the verge of giving up the desperate man hopped off his bike and ran through the crowds of people all looking at a new sign that had been put up to say that Midgar would remain empty for the rest of time.

_Of course the sign went up today, the day I need to get to the church! _The angry am thought as he stormed up to the large chain link fence that had been placed around the entrance to the slums.

With a growl Cloud dashed back to his bike and revved the ferocious engine. Cloud looked ahead as he whispered "Let's go, Fenrir." Before pulling up the front portion of his bike and opening the sword compartment as he crashed back to earth pulling out the first part of his multi-blade sword.

"Move!" he ordered the people all of whom knew a man on a mission when they saw one. Everyone scrambled allowing cloud to slice through the fence seeing the small gap in the fence big enough for Tifa to fit through comfortably.

Tifa heard the Roar of Fenrir as the monstrous beast parked up by where the church doors where.

"Tifa!" Cloud called towards the church running up the stairs as he heard the quick loud breaths of his girlfriend.

"Cloud!" she shouted back feeling the pain come on again and letting out a very audible gasp of pain.

* * *

_Hours passed, Cloud managed to get Tifa to the hospital and after all their trouble the two babies were born saf__e and healthy..._

* * *

Kairi POV.

We got to the hospital after a very anxious Cloud had called telling us where they were. He had called to tell us Tifa had her babies and that we could visit now.

So now after a long bus ride to the only hospital in a twenty mile radius – Midgar had three figures that they shut the whole place up. - Denzel and I sat in a small waiting room for Cloud to come and confirm us as family. – Even if I wasn't they were going to lie for now.

"Kairi, what if they don't like me?" the nervous young boy sad quietly from beside me. I looked over to Denzel to see him staring at his hands.

"How could they not like you Denzel?" I replied softly putting an arm around the boy and kissing the top of his head reassuringly. For a young twelve year old I knew Denzel was very mature, to be into the music and magazine he was too. Or maybe they were Cloud's and he just looked at some of them...

"Kairi. Denzel." A soft voice said from behind us. I turned as Denzel did to see Cloud standing with a small worn out smile on his face. "Come on, they're beautiful." He said walking over to crouch in front of Denzel who had all of a sudden gotten very shy and was looking at his hands.

"Come on buddy." Cloud said extending a hand to his adopted son. Denzel looked up at Cloud for a minute. I saw his eyes flicker around the man's face before him before his eyes settle on Cloud's and with a small smile and a nod Denzel hopped off the chair taking the had Cloud had extended.

I notice Cloud was acting very un-Cloud like; he seemed to be floating like he was happy for the first time in a long time. His smile was a big indication of that.

When we got to the room Tifa was awake. She looked a bit of a mess and definitely tired as she gazed down at the two babies in the crib next to her.

"Congratulations Tifa." I said softy, walking over to the woman before me and hugging her as well as I could.

"Thank you, Kairi." Tifa breathed showing how much the experience had taken out of her by her long blinks and need you yawn every few seconds.

"We can leave if you're tired." Cloud told Tifa. She smiled at him for a second patting the space next to her on the bed. Hesitantly, Cloud went and sat here she indicated. Tifa stretched her aching body up placing her one hand of Cloud's shoulder and the other behind his head in his spikes. She pulled his down slowly giving me enough time to cover Denzel's eyes before he saw anything.

"Hey! I'm twelve I know what's going on!" he protested swatting my hand away grumpily. I head Tifa's soft laugh and Cloud's tired sigh made me look up.

"I would like to sleep but first I want to tell you their names." Tifa held one of the babies carefully in her arms while Cloud picked up the other carefully holding the baby's head how he had been taught by Tifa only a little while ago by the looks he was giving her when he accomplished it.

"This is our little girl." Tifa told me showing the bundle of blankets and baby. On top of the small head was a mop of already blonde hair. Her eyes, hidden under her eyelashes and eyelids were an icy blue like the sky. She was small but seemed to try to fill out all the space she could in the blanket.

"Our little boy." She said motioning to the bundle Cloud held. The boy had black hair darker than even Tifa's. His shorter lashes hid his oddly coloured green eyes. –nobody knew where they came from; Cloud was most likely blaming himself for it. The bigger of the two babies seemed content with his own space. He didn't seem to really mind what was going on around him, unlike either of his hyper sensitive parents.

"Our little girl, Skye and our little boy, Tori." Cloud added smiling down at Denzel then looking up to me then finally resting his eyes on Tifa.

I knew from the look in his eyes that this was the day Cloud really felt that he had something to live for – His family.

**Crap ending I know but I will be doing an epilogue and I may even post the alternative ending I wrote to this if you want to hear about a birth where the didn't even try to get to the hospital...**

**Anyway, this is almost done just the epi which will be 4 weeks. I'm in Florida until then so if anyone wants to look me up there go ahead, I'm in orlando. Lol jk. Don't come find me plz.**

**Anyway so that's the end of that. I'll posts my next story in maybe a month or two. Its called Meddling and its about changing the past.**

**So tell me what you thought of this!**

**Been nice writin for ya! Byee!**


	17. my bad luck strikes again! not chapter

**Hey guys, **

**I've started writing the last chapter but my stupid old laptop plug decided 'oh I know! Lets piss off Em just cuz she's awesome at getting B's at gcse!' so it broke then I cried and then died and then came back to tell you it will be a week or so depending on all of my other shiz that's going on.**

**Sooo I have started it, its 3000 words so far and I'm nowhere near finished. For your enjoyment im going to add a small part of a story I thought of last night.**

**Enjoy and stay happy and don't riot on me like the rest of England ****J**

Cloud was dreaming.

Of course he realised he was in a dream from the brightness coming off the crystal clear white walls in the strange place he had found himself conscious in.

A strange world expanded itself around Cloud. He saw long white corridors pale as the moon and clean like new white porcelain plates with doors that looked like they were painted on. So unreal, so dreamlike.

In the middle of the place a small Cloud Strife looked around in uncertainty to find himself starting an argument with a woman.

The woman was pale like a ghost with long black hair and deep set wide dark eyes -you couldn't tell the colour- that looked like they had been pried open and left there. The pale of her face and the black of he hair made the woman look sick herself, pale beyond saving. Her smile was too big to be real he jaws looked too silver and too sharp to be real teeth. Her whole face made her looke a bit like a pshyco china doll. She wore a blood red cross on the small breast pocket of her long pale blue shirt. The cross looked like it was painted on with blood right over her heart.

In the bed in the ward next to Cloud was the pale cold corpse of his best friend Zack. The Zack corpse was covered in blood and bullet wounds with sword cuts and baton bruises all over his visible arms and vacantly peaceful face.

"I'm sorry sir." the nurse told Cloud mechanically she spoke almost like the chirp of a bird; high sickly sweet and like it was all her job was. Like all she did was talking to people and telling them she was sorry for their loss. It was like her tone was automatic, like she would -could- never care.

"No, he can't leave me, he promised. We're friends, he wouldn't leave me like this!" the distressed blonde shouted out at the nurse as he kept shooting glances to the cold dead man in the room next to him. Cloud kept repeating his words to himself almost as if trying to make himself believe was a dificult task.

"He's gone. I'm sorry..." she chirped back happily almost as if she wanted Zack to be dead. She even smile the fake 'air hostess' smile all nurses and other women in business had learned. The smile that could get her anything in the world.

"No! No!" Cloud cried out in horror. He moved towards Zack's room in a short sprint. He touched the doors, opened them only to be pulled back by two men dragging him by his elbows backwards so his feet and behind dragged on the cold tile floor.

"ZACK!" Cloud screamed in a desperate plea to the nurse. He was stretching out an arm towards her trying to encourage the nurse to help him up, tell him it was all a joke, Zack was fine.

The nurse waved with that plastic smile and robotic waving movements as Cloud was dragged further away from Zack's body without letting his cries of sorrow, pain and anguish fill the white space around him.

"No" Cloud gasped sitting up in the bed quickly. He was currettly sleeping in a bed with Zack and didn't realise until he jerked up that his movements may wake the older man.

"Cloud? What's wrong?" Zack slurred still half asleep. Zack's head swung around to look at Cloud who was sitting up in bed panting heavily. Hooded lids meant Zack couldn't see Cloud properly.

"Cloud?" zack asked once more in his tired slur. He hadn't even moved his tired body yet.

"I'm... fine..." Cloud panted out clutching a pillow close to his face as he felt tears spill from his eyes an out onto the pillow that smelled all too much like Zack.

"Hey something's the matter, what happened? Nightmare?" Zack's voice was gentle, he was worried about Cloud. He knew when something was wrong with the small blonde.

The pillow was pulled away from Cloud's face and in an instant Zack was there.

**This is a work in progress, may be in a fan fiction near you soon!**


	18. Epilogue: Time for a party!

**IM SO SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG!**

**My laptop problem took a while to sort, it ended with me getting a new laptop and having to get someone to swap the date from my old laptop onto it. I was lucky I saved this to be fair. anyway ill get on with it cuz this is the end *cries* okay go.**

**Here's the epilogue! Enjoy!**

Epilogue: Time for a party!

I sighed as I made myself comfortable in my seat. I needed to relax, everyone was coming over tonight and I wasn't the one who was going to snap first tonight. Next to me, Tifa read a magazine glancing over the pages quickly uninterested really but looking for something to do to keep her from being bored.

The golden band on her ring finger reflected back at me. We had gotten married in the summer after the twins were born. It had been a small thing at the church with only our closest friends there. It had snowed in the church as light beamed down from between the gaps in the rafters while the snowflakes battled to make their way down to us. I was sure at one point I saw four figures sitting up on the rafters. Zack had told me the next full moon that he, Aerith, my mother and Tifa's father had been watching from above us, in the rafters where I had seen them.

Five years had passed since then and it wasn't always easy to get along with everyone in the house, especially when Yuffie was visiting. We had changed the twins room to accommodate beds for the two both who had changed a lot since they were babies.

Tori was tall and was calmer than his sister, he had decided to grow his hair long so it was to his shoulders. I wouldn't let his grow it past there no matter how much he moaned – his hair looked a tiny bit like Zack's because of its colour but it wasn't like how Zack styled his apart from the flicky fringe bit.

Tori loved playing around with the now docile Prowler who also liked the boy's company most of the time. He only had a few friends but he was close to them all. He was cheeky too, always playing jokes on his sister and sometimes even playing the odd prank on Denzel. He insisted to me sometimes that he had dreams of Zack and Aerith telling him things that would happen – of course he didn't say them by name because he didn't know them.

To me, he acted a bit like Zack even though the dead soldier insisted on having no influence on my son's actions – he also started insisting that he had nothing to do with the weird eye colour either.

Not that I ever mentioned that to Zack...

The colour of his eyes, now bigger and easier to see, were bright vibrant green –almost the colour of pure Mako – I was sure in the beginning that some of the Mako had gone from me into Tori but after I noticed he was completely normal throughout his whole life so far I realised that maybe one Tifa's parents or my dad had green eyes and he had somehow got it from there.

His sister, Skye was very different. She was small and kept her silky platinum blonde hair short like Yuffie but long enough to tie into the tiniest pigtails you have ever seen down at the back of her head. Although she was small her attitude was big, she would pout and moan and huff all the time when she didn't get what she wanted and had a tendency to snap at her brother most of the time too. Tifa just put their fighting down to sibling rivalry but with the way she acted most of the time you had to wonder if that was the case.

Apart from her moaning and snapping at her brother Skye was a little angel, she did everything we told her to and spent lots of time helping Tifa in the kitchen even though she couldn't really help with much because she was such a small size and young age.

Skye's eyes –like her brothers- were something to look at. They were the brightest blue any of us had ever seen with tiny silver patches in them like clouds from the sky. Everyone was stunned by the sight of her impossible eyes – Zack told me Aerith had something to do with this.

Skye didn't have many friends because people used to tease her about her name. She had her two best friends and that was all she needed. According to her teachers Skye was very quiet at school but also the brightest in her class, neither Tifa nor I could believe Skye was quiet at any point in time –she liked to talk too much to stay quiet.

Speaking of not being quiet... the twins were having a little argument that snapped me out of my thoughts quickly before lazily pulling me back into half awareness of what they were shouting. We had learned that the best way to stop them fighting was to just let them fight and calm down so they were sorry afterwards.

"Denzel! Go get my cake!" a high pitched voice demanded.

"It's my birthday, Tori! Go get MY cake Denzel!" another voice called the second voice was definitely belonging to the little girl who was turning five today.

"Well, Skye, it's MY birthday too! Denzel should get my cake first!" Tori shouted at his sister. I watched from my place on the couch next to Tifa with my head resting on my hand which was resting on the arm of the chair as another conflict unrolled itself between the twins.

"I was born first so my cake should come here first!" little Skye called at her brother. I felt sorry for poor Denzel who had to keep walking in and out of the kitchen with two different cakes trying to make the twins happy on their birthday.

"Nuh huh!"

"Yeah huh!"

"Nuh huh!"

"Yeah huh!" I felt sorry for everyone now. When these two got into the 'Nuh huh! Yeah huh!' battle it lasted hours. Tifa sat next to me with her arms folded for ten solid minutes after realising she couldn't read anymore with this racket before she'd had enough.

"You're twins you were both born at the same time!" she told them in her most calm voice – which I'm sure, had a bit of a hiss to it. Remember what I said earlier about letting them fight? The side rule was that we only ignored them if we weren't tired or angry or busy. This was the tired that kicked in.

"We can't be born at the same time! Auntie Yuffie told us!" the small blonde haired girl exclaimed trying to be tall even though we all knew she was a little shorter than her classmates just like she was shorter than her brother. Tifa keeps insisting that was my fault.

"Kids, remember this as I say it: your aunt Yuffie is crazy, we never trust what she says." I chipped in watching the amused look on Tifa's face as she stared at me with her hands on her hips. "Now go get ready," I added looking at Prowler who was sitting on the floor next to me after claiming to be becoming 'old' in dog years. "Everyone will be here for the party soon and who really wants to see two stinky kids on their birthday?" I asked adding a little smile at the end of my speech as I watched both the little heads bob out of the room into the bathroom quickly.

"Very nice, Cloud." Tifa commented walking over to me with her arms folded so she was holding her elbows with each hand. I smiled a small lopsided grin at her before we heard the two ships we were expecting pull up.

"Those guys are never on time!" I sighed shaking my head as I saw Yuffie waving at us from the deck of the Highwind. she had gotten over her motion sickness very easily if you asked me, all she did was take some tablets or something the doctor had given her and hey-presto instant peppy ninja to go. I think she never had motion sickness ever and was using it as a ploy to get our Materia. But then again, if that was the case she was a really good actor.

"But they're never late either..." Tifa muttered from next to me as she also looked down. A knock on the bar door was heard followed by shouts of 'Cloud!' but none for Tifa.

"Sora must've got to the door first." She told me walking away into the kitchen to help Denzel get all the stuff out onto the counter and tables in the bar. "That means you have to let them in!" she shouted back to me hearing the audible groan of protest from me. "I'm going to go get the twins bathed and into their clothes." She added as I heard the steps squeak as she stepped on the broken one.

I trudged down to the door seeing the crowd gathered outside that would obviously gather attention. It had been Tifa's idea to invite everyone the twins knew, and right now I blame her for the crowd at the door –because it was her fault. I still opened the door begrudgingly because I had to – if I didn't Sora would break it down or Tifa would be mad – two things I did not want happening.

One by one everyone came in Sora, Kairi carrying their four year old baby Lea, Riku, Terra, Aqua carrying their four year old Jasmine, Ventus, Vincent, Yuffie, Cid, Sierra, Shelke, Barrett, Marlene, Reno, Rude (I don't know who invited those two!) Nanaki, Reeve with Cait Sith, Leon, Marlene and Denzel's friend Madison, Skye's two friends: Taylor and Zoey and Tori's three friends: Jason, Jared and Daniel each of the children were with their parents when they heard that the whole of AVALANCHE was going to be there.

I was glad we had the bar or we wouldn't have space to fit everyone in the house.

Everyone walked over to two of the tables at first all piling up the gifts that had been bought for the two. One table for Skye, one table for Tori. Luckily both piles seemed even as Skye's friends bought presents for Tori and Tori's friends bought presents for Skye.

"Hi Cloud! Madison and I are going to help Tifa and Denzel with the food!" Marlene said before exiting the room and leaving me with many people I didn't really know.

I looked around the room. The mothers all seemed to have gone to one corner to talk while all the children played together on the floor- even Jasmine and Lea were accepted although they were smaller than the other children. I saw that Aqua and Kairi and a very rounded Sierra were among the group of mothers also talking about their children. Aqua and Kairi were trying to keep it secret that they were from a different world while everyone was gushing over a pregnant Sierra.

I saw Reno and Rude talking to Sora, Terra, Ventus, Riku and Leon. That wanted to know about their world but all they got out of Sora was "Axel! I can't believe you're really alive!" and out of Ven was "Hey, aren't you Lea? The one I met in Radiant garden who wanted to be remembered by everyone?" basically Reno was denying all accusations while Rude stood silently listening to his partners bumbling.

Vincent, Barrett and Cid were all in the corner talking quietly while making hand gestures to emphasize the point that was being made. Vincent shook his head humourlessly at times almost as if what Cid was saying was disgusting him.

Nanaki was talking with Reeve and his cat counterpart in what seemed like a serious conversation about science or something like that. Reeve seemed to be fascinated by whatever Nankai was saying – mostly talking about his grandfather or his homeland.

Yuffie and Shelke seemed to be having a heated discussion about something they must've deemed serious. There was lots of head shaking and sighing going on in the conversation and Yuffie was violently throwing her hands around like she was angry. I decided not to join anyone but instead go see how the twins were doing.

I passed Tifa and Denzel on their way back to the kitchen as I made my way to the twins' room. They had obviously been to change for the party which I could see by their new clothes. Tifa wore a long blue dress with off-the-shoulder straps and a slit up the side stopping mid thigh while her hair was curled and pinned back from her face. Denzel wore a simple grey and blue button up shirt with black jeans almost as if he was trying to match Marlene's white and blue dress that looked surprisingly like the one Aerith had worn in the pictures Zack used to show me of her.

I heard the twins before I got to their room.

"MOOOM! TORI PULLED MY HAIR!"

"DID NOT SHES LYING!"

"OUCH! TORI!"

"STOP BEING A BABY! STUPID SISTER...!"

I walked into sheer Chaos when I opened the door to the twin's room. Tori was pinning Skye to the floor while she pounded her fist out in front of her and kicked her legs blindly. Tori was pulling on both of Skye's pigtails like they were reins from a horse. He was pulling so hard he was pulling her head back at an unnatural and seemingly uncomfortable angle.

"Tori! Get off your sister now!" I shouted running up to the two and pulling Tori off his small sister before he could even react to my presence. I heard a tiny squeak from him as I set him down and pulled his sister up into my arms smoothing away her tears with my thumb as I sat down on her bed with the small sobbing girl in my arms.

"Come on baby, don't cry." I cooed at the young girl who was still sobbing and hiding her face in my chest.

"Tori that wasn't very nice of you. Apologise to your sister or you aren't allowed a single one of your birthday presents for a week." I told the boy sternly stroking the back of Skye's head as her sobbing seemed to slow.

"Sorry." He muttered, not to Skye but to the floor and not loud enough for the little girl to hear.

"Louder." I told him turning Skye a bit so she could see her brother enough to look him In the eye as he spoke.

"I'M SORRY!" He shouted so most of the house heard not just Skye and me.

"Better." I told him as he walked out of the room mumbling about being ready.

"Thank you for saving me Daddy." Skye said sniffing and wiping her nose I started to smooth out the crinkles in her dress that the fighting had caused. She was wearing a long ping dress with frills that made her look a bit like a princess. There were several layers of pink netting with a thin fabric layer underneath it all the top of the dress was two shades of pink with thin netting hanging from the straps down over Skye's shoulders. The whole of the dress was covered in sparkles.

"It's okay Skye." I told the girl as I set her on her feet – she wore black shiny shoes- "You look very pretty you know. I added as I smoothed out a few more of the wrinkles her brother had caused. I saw a little blush on the little girls face at the compliment. She was always shy at any compliments.

"Do you want to go and see everyone?" I asked her looking down and watching as Skye gave another sniff before wiping her fist across her eyes and nodding.

"Yes, Daddy but first I wanna wait for the flower girl." Skye told me looking up with shinning blue eyes. It was almost as if the silver was reflecting back at me. I looked at the girl in shock. I had heard her talk about 'the flower girl' before but always in dreams, Skye never mentioned that she came when she was awake.

"The flower girl?"

"She promised to give me a birthday surprise. She said that her friend was coming too." Skye told me calmly as I saw the one side of the room begin to flicker different colours and shine a green glow like the Lifestream.

From the light emerged Aerith and Zack each carrying two boxes. They were dressed how they always were except Zack didn't have his sword.

"Happy birthday Skye!" called Aerith as she walked over to the little girl and enveloped her in a hug after dropping the wrapped boxes onto the bed.

"Hi!" Skye called through the hug to Zack with a smile.

"Zack? How can you two be here, its not full moon." I asked looking at the joyous birthday greetings in a mixture of happiness and sadness. These two should've been here for all of the twins birthdays…

"Your two are special. The Lifestream made us their guardians from the Lifestream to make sure they don't ever go astray in life." Aerith told me moving out of the hug with my daughter to hug me instead.

"Huh, I could've really used a guardian." I mused with a small smile as Zack hugged me too.

"Hey! We can't stay, we just came to give the kids their gifts and say a quick hi, we gotta go now." Zack told me with a smile and a thump on the back.

"Don't worry it will be full moon before you know it." Aerith assured me with a hand on my shoulder as she made her way towards the Lifestream portal.

"I miss you guys." I told them with a small smile. "But I know I'm not alone anymore so it doesn't hurt as much." I added looking down at a puzzled Skye and putting a hand on the back of her head.

"We miss you too, Cloud. We all do over here. Your mother said Congratulation and well done on the twins." Aerith told me.

"And Angeal wanted to say you were looking good for a guy of your age." Zack added with a snicker. I heard Angeal call from within the portal out to zack and saw his visable shudder.

"Well we better go, come on Aer." Zack said turning and walking into the portal. Aerith put her hands behind her back and smiled before moving.

"Give my best to the others!" she giggled cheerfully before disappearing.

"Daddy, how do you know my Angels?" Skye asked. The way she called them angels made me fell something, a feeling I didn't know.

"They're my friends Skye." I told her before taking the little girl by the hand and picking up Tori's two presents. "You wanna get yours?" I asked her taking her hand again as she fit both presents under her one arm. We walked out into where the party was with smiles on our faces.

The party had just finished and all the mothers were already home with their children. Members of AVALANCHE, the group from the other world and even the Turks were sprawled in odd places all over the bar and house. The two children had already gone to bed and Denzel, Marlene and Madison were all in Denzel's room on separate blow up mattresses. Tifa had gone to bed earlier with a headache so I was left with the cleaning up.

As I was cleaning I thought over all the things that people had bought for the twins. No matter what anyone bought it seemed, nothing outshined their two favourite presents.

Tori had gotten a Materia ball of Zack. One he didn't even know how to use but he was trying hard. It was a Choco/mog summon Materia and he enjoyed the fact that holding it close to his face meant he could hear the noises from the two animals and see them running inside the ball.

From Aerith Tori got a book on casting easy spells for beginners. Inside was a note for me and tifa telling us he would be fine with the small spells and that he was very smart for his age. He was able to cast a small Cure spell when I gave him the material and was so happy he cast one on Prowler who now seems to be back to terrorising me.

Sky got two different gifts. From Zack she got a new outfit that fit perfectly. She wore her new white angel wing shirt and tiny pair of grey jeans around the house the next day only changing at bathtime into her jammies.

From Aerith Skye got a vase of flowers that Aerith claimed were 'Lifestream flowers' and would last forever. She also got a small protective bracelet which Aerith had called 'the Cetra's pride' she claimed that Skye could channel the power of the Cetra through the bracelet so she could be powerful in battle if she ever need be.

The way they were training the two I knew there was going to be a battle in their future that none of us in AVALANCHE would be able to fight.

After cleaning up I looked into the room of my two sleeping children. Tori was using his material as a night light while Sky had her flowers next to her on a table. I sighed as I closed the door and went to my own room.

I know I had made mistakes in the past bit these two where what I had to live for now. These two and Tifa were my life.

And now I know that I don't think I ever could leave again.

**Aaaaaaannnnnd that's it. Hope you enjoyed this. Anyway its all done so tell me what you think!**


	19. Alter end to chap 13: involves death!

Alternate ending to chapter 13: Things Change, People Get Lost.

**I think I said I would post this, oh well, here it is anyway.**

Starts from line:

"Prowler?" I asked looking over to the dog to see if he died to make his so quiet. The dog was still alive but his eyes seemed vacant, like he had the life sucked out of him

"You won't get any answers from the dog; I'm not in there to be his voice." I turned around too quickly at the sound of the oh so familiar voice. Sure enough behind me was the glittering translucent skin of my dead best friend.

"Zack?" I asked looking up at the moon and realising it was full. I suddenly felt bad that the kids and Sora couldn't meet Zack this month.

"Hey, Cloud." he said ruffling my hair with a small chuckle as he walked past to pet the dog that stood beside us.

"So, you ARE Prowler..." I muttered following Zack as he walked past the dog further into the park.

"Yep! I got to be reincarnated as your loyal dog because I love you!" Zack said jokingly making me roll my eyes. Zack didn't notice as he kept speaking. "If we hurry we can get home so we can see the kids and Sora. Aerith is with them now. And by the way, Tifa is going to go into labour in..." the way he paused with his fingers lapping on his chin while he looked up made me realise he was trying to think of something that he was meant to remember. "Oh twelve hours so you don't have to worry until early tomorrow."

"What?" I half shouted jogging after Zack as he made his way into a dense area of trees.

"Keep up spikes! Tifa came through these dense trees she said she saw something." Zack told me all jokes gone now as he looked around like a dog on edge listening for any little sounds or movements in the too thick trees.

"I see her..." Zack told me quietly. I didn't understand how he could with his eyes closed. '_Oh he can see her in his mind!_' I thought after a few minutes making my mouth form a silent 'o' without Zack even realising.

Suddenly Zack dashed forward with inhuman speed. I was shocked for a minute before realising I needed to find him before he was gone. It was hard to chase Zack, the trees kept whacking their branches across my face and the leaf litter on the floor tripping me every few minutes.

"Cloud!" I heard Zack shout from not too far away I sped up hoping he had found Tifa as I was hit once again by a branch. After a few more steps I managed to stumble my way into a small clearing in the middle of the dense trees.

In the middle of the clearing couched in the snow was Zack holding a woman in his arms tightly rubbing her arms to try and warm up her cold body. He then took her pulse by pressing his fingers to her neck. I saw the look on his face before i gasped in a big breath and ran up to the middle of the clearing where the two where. The whole scene was starting to remind me of that time I found Tifa in the church after her fight with the remnant.

I picked up her body roughly from Zack's arms and cradled her head close to me. Her lips were turning blue from the cold and her body was still. She felt like ice in my hands. I looked down at her to see her in no coat only her jeans and shirt from when I last saw her.

I don't think I have ever seen anything so still. I watched Zack sigh from the corner of my eye as he sighed and shook his head reaching out a hand to me.

"Cloud…" Zack said almost hesitantly. He wasn't looking at me now. He was looking over to a beam of light that had formed by the side of us.

"Why is she so cold Zack?" I asked numbly shaking myself as I looked only at Tifa.

"Cloud, I'm so sorry."

"She's too cold."

"Cloud she's-

"We need to warm her up!"

"CLOUD!" Zack shouted to get my attention. I only looked down and stroked tifa's head.

"She's gone." He told me. That's all I remember before I started to cry.

"No, the babies…"

"I can save then both just keep Tifa still." Zack told me pushing both his hands against Tifa's stomach. I saw my tears falling onto her face.

"Ah, here they are!" Zack called. I didn't know how he did it but in his hands he held two baby girls both clean and not crying as they looked at me.

"I'm going to name this one Tifa, after her mother." I said holding the girl with Brown hair and brown eyes close in my one arm.

"And this one will be Skye, because of her eyes." I said picking up the blonde blue eyed girl in my other arm.

"lets take the girls home." Zack told me as he disappeared. I heard Prowler barking in the distance.

I watched as Tifa's body disintergrated into lifestream particles before I left the forest with both babies silent in my arms almost as if they knew of their mother's passing.

Aerith took one of the babies when I got home. She looked at me with sad eyes and I knew she just knew. Sora and Kairi and Denzel knew too, they all looked at me with sad eyes.

"Cloud… I'm sorry." Sora told me. I watched the tears drip from Kairi's cheeks and Denzel as he sobbed into the blanked on his lap.

"It's okay, Tifa will be home soon." I told them all as I went to put baby Tifa in her crib. I knew I had the stares of each of them on my back in sympathy. I could pretend, but I _knew_ Tifa wasn't coming back I _knew_ she was gone and I _knew _I would hardly see her ever again.

It was at that point that it hit me and I crumpled into a pile in the newly built nursery.

***pops up* wow, who knew I could write that! I don't really like it but tell me what you think…**


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